Much has been published relating to the treatment and surgical outcome of cleft lip and palate disorders. Clinical audit is one of the most important tools for assessing the quality of care provided, with medical photography an invaluable component of this process. The Clinical Standards Advisory Group Report 1998 recommended that cleft lip and palate patients should be audited when 0 (under 1 year of age), and then at the ages of 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. For both audit and research purposes, medical photographs need to be accurate and of a consistently high standard. This paper describes the development of a standardized photographic protocol for cleft patients of audit age, to the benefit of both the multidisciplinary team and the patients.
Medical photography can be both challenging and rewarding, particularly when faced with less than ideal situations and under pressure of time, environment and clinicians’ expectations. Clinical photographs are a scientific record, therefore, they should be accurately focused, exposed and framed. They should fulfil the brief and illustrate the subject effectively. The authors describe a photography technique that has been invaluable in the documentation and diagnosis of a rare clinical condition, (multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma) and in informing fellow clinicians of the visual appearance of disease.
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