Bilateral Isolated Transverse Facial Cleft Repaired by Straight Line Closure: About Two Cases

Abstract

Transverse facial cleft or congenital macrosomia is a rare facial malformation. It is more common in men than in women. Unilateral form is the most frequent and appears to be associated in most cases with additional facial deformities. Bilateral form is rare and is more often isolated. The cosmetic damage it causes can be source of psychological stress. Sever form can cause oral functional disorders. These consequences justify early repair. We report two cases of isolated bilateral transverse facial cleft in a 6 month old girl and a 5 month old boy. The straight-line technique was used. Mucosal flaps from the lower lip were used to reduce the suture of the labial mucosa to 5 mm from the commissures on the upper lip. The aesthetic and functional outcomes were satisfactory.