Three-Dimensional Analysis of the Pharyngeal Airway Volume and Craniofacial Morphology in Patients With Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the correlations between the craniofacial morphology and pharyngeal airway volume in patients with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP). DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Tertiary hospital. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-seven patients with complete BCLP and 27 class I control patients, aged 10 to 14 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The pharyngeal airway volume and craniofacial morphology were evaluated using cone-beam computed tomography. Measurements were compared between groups and any correlations were identified. RESULTS A significantly smaller total pharyngeal airway volume (TPV), oropharyngeal airway volume, and upper (UOPV) and lower (LOPV) oropharyngeal airway volume were found in patients with BCLP than in class I control patients, with no difference in the nasopharyngeal volume between groups. Furthermore, the craniofacial morphology measurements of N-Me, S-Go, Or-C, Ptm-C, Me-C, Co-Go, Go-Me, Ptm-Or, N-S-Ar, and Ar-Go-Me significantly differed between the BCLP and control groups (all P < .05). Multiple regression analysis indicated that Ptm-C and Me-C; Ptm-C, Or-C, and Me-C; and Me-C explained 20.3%, 38.9%, and 17.1% of the variations in TPV (P = .025), UOPV (P = .002), and LOPV (P = .018), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Total pharyngeal airway volume, TPV, OPV, UOPV, and LOPV were significantly smaller in patients with BCLP than in class I controls. In patients with BCLP, the maxilla showed inhibited sagittal development and a retrograde position; moreover, the pharyngeal airway volume was weakly associated with the position of the maxilla and mandible relative to the coronal plane.