The Latham technique is the initial interventional procedure used to treat the facial orthopedic problems found in unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCLP) patients. In UCLP and RCLP deformities, the soft tissue and basal abnormalities have a recognizable pattern of deformity defined by excess or deficiency in anatomic form, position, or direction within the craniofacial milieu. The Latham appliance applies controlled directional forces to reposition the displaced basal segments and realign soft tissue margins of like kind before corrective surgery is performed.This study presents a literature review, explains the clinical technique used for BCLP and UCLP patients, evaluates the initial orthopedic effect caused by the Latham technique, examines the fistulation rate after two closure operations (i.e., lip and alveolar, and later palate), and presents case demonstrations with one UCLP and two BCLP patients.
LITERATURE REVIEWThe Latham technique is a variation on an approach that was introduced several decades ago. In the early 1950s, M~N e i l ' .~ and Burston3 first reported on the use and advantages of presurgical orthopedic correction (POC) in UCLP and BCLP patients. Still in use today, the POC technique employs a passive oral prosthesis and external facial or head straps to effect segment repositioning. Another variation of POC for use in UCLP patients, reported Supported in part by rcsearch grant 88-65, Sinai Hospital, lktroit, Mich. Downloaded by: Universite Laval. Copyrighted material.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.