An Analysis of Outcome in Cleft Lip and/or Palate Patients by Using Visual Analog Scale Scoring System From the Parents in Non-Plastic-Surgical Hospital Based Setting

Abstract

BACKGROUND Cleft lip and/or palate surgery is often times not accessible to all patients in developing countries, like Indonesia and other countries alike. Therefore, it is common to have the care of these patients becoming dependent upon charity care and events. Despite these efforts, there has been criticism that the performance and outcome have been suboptimal and unmonitored. The objectives of this study are-1) To identify a novel solution for resolving such issue for follow up and 2) To monitor the outcome by using Visual Analog Scale scoring system reported by the parents. MATERIALS AND METHODS Parents were separately asked to provide assessment using Visual Analogue Scale score from 1 to 10 on the appearance of their children before surgery, immediately after surgery, and six months later. Setting and Design-This is a prospective cohort study at our charity event in Gunungkidul, D. I. Yogyakarta (a small subset of the provincial district in Java Island) on January 14 th 2017. Statistical Analysis-The result was analysed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov distribution test and Friedman test. RESULTS Thirty-five parents whose 20 children underwent cheiloplasty and 15 palatoplasty were enrolled as respondents. The VAS score for before, immediately after, and six months after cheiloplasty were 3.4 with 95% CI (2.79-4.01), 7.95 with 95% CI (7.33-8.57), 8.75 with 95% CI (8.27-9.23) and P-value <0.01. The VAS score for before and immediately after, and six months after palatoplasty were 4.33 with 95% CI (3.41-5.26), 7.80 with 95% CI (7.04-8.56), and 7.12 with 95% CI (6.54-7.63) and P-value <0.01. CONCLUSION The outcome of cleft lip and palate patients in non-plastic-surgical hospital based setting showed a decent result by a significant increase in Visual Analog Scale score appraised directly by parents.