Rehabilitation protocol with digital workflow in children with cleft lip and palate

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to perform an anthropometric longitudinal analysis to quantify the dimensional changes of the face and palate in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate submitted to an innovative rehabilitation protocol. The selected sample will be divided into Group 1 (G1) - children submitted to cheiloplasty at three months (Millard technique) and one-step palatoplasty at 12 months (von Langenbeck technique); Group 2 (G2): children submitted to cheiloplasty (Millard technique) and hard palate closure (Hans Pichler technique) at three months and soft palate closure at 12 months (Sommerlad technique). Participants will be assessed in Phase 1 - pre-cheiloplasty, Phase 2 - pos-cheiloplasty and Phase 3 - post-palatoplasty. Linear measurements, area, volume of the nasolabial region and dental arches will be quantified; palatal superimposition will also be performed. The reliability analysis of the methodology will be evaluated by means of linear regression analysis and Bland-Altman agreement, and by the Dahlberg formula. The Shapiro-Wilk test will be used to determine parametric and / or non-parametric tests in quantitative data. Paired T-Test, Analysis of Variance with post-hoc Tukey, Pearson's correlation coefficient will be applied for the analysis of changes within each sample group. An independent t test will be used to verify intergroup results. Multivariate analysis of linear mixed effects regression will be applied to assess the longitudinal development of the palate and face, in addition to estimating the growth of participants by group and sex. The data obtained from the questionnaires will be analyzed with non-parametric tests. If necessary, other tests will be applied (p <0.05). (AU)