CBCT Analysis of the Pharyngeal Airwayin Individuals with Non-syndromic Cleft Lip and Palate: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Cone beam CT, which offers clear 3D images with small voxel size, has been widely used in head and neck diagnoses and in assessments of pharyngeal airway characteristics. A number of studies have attempted to evaluate pharyngeal airway in CLP patients to assess the effect of clefting and surgical correction of cleft on the pharyngeal airway by using CBCT. The purpose of this retrospective case control study was to analyze the pharyngeal airway in individuals with previously repaired nonsyndromic clefts: bilateral versus unilateral CLP compared to age and gender matched non-cleft controls using CBCT with the ultimate goal of finding if CLP patients are more liable to nasopharyngeal and OPA abnormalities. Cone beam CT data of 58 preadolescent individuals with mean age, 10.47 ±.99 years; 14 bilateral and 20 unilateral CLP patients as well as 24 non cleft controls were selected. Volume calculation, linear measurements, CSS and adenoidal assessments were assessed in the three groups using Mimics software while CSA and MSA were measured using InVivoDental software. The differences among groups were analysed using the ANOVA and post hoc tests was used to find the significance between groups. Regarding NPA analysis, BCLP patients showed significantly larger NPAV and significantly longer depth at NFP than both control subjects and UCLP patients (P < 0.001). Bilateral CLP patients showed significantly larger CSA at NFP than UCLP patients (P < 0.001). No significant differences of the remaining comparisons were found between study groups (P > 0.05).