Aesthetic Outcome of Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair by Utilizing Three Techniques Fisher, Millard and Tennison Meta-Analysis

Ali, Yasser Helmy; Ouf, Mohamed Osama; Arafat, Ahmed Elsaeed Dorgham Ghazy

doi:https://doi.org/10.21608/aimj.2025.446666

Aesthetic Outcome of Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair by Utilizing Three Techniques Fisher, Millard and Tennison Meta-Analysis

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Professor of Plastic and burn Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

² Assistant Professor of Plastic and burn Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

³ MBBCh, Faculty of Medicine, Resident of Plastic and burn Surgery Shebin-Elkom teaching hospital, Menoufia, Egypt

https://doi.org/10.21608/aimj.2025.446666

Abstract

Background: Cleft lip is a frequent birth defect affecting the face that affects around one in seven hundred live births. When the maxillary prominence fails to fuse with the medial nasal prominence, a unilateral cleft lip develops.
Aim: To compare the Fisher with the Millard technique and Tennison technique in unilateral cleft lip regarding symmetry between cleft and non-cleft side (cutaneous roll, vermilion, cupid bow, and nostril), lip height and width, and scar appearance.
Subjects and methods: This randomized controlled trial study was conducted, encompassing a search encompassing recent clinical trials, cohort trials, as well as prospective and retrospective comparative cohort studies.
Results: According to the results, a random effects model was used to analyze data from 14 studies, including 293 people. With a p-value less than 0.05, the test for total effect shows statistical significance. The range of preoperative lip heights was 0.65 cm to 1.30 cm, with 1.09 cm being the median. The range of postoperative lip heights was 1.02 cm to 1.76 cm, with 1.50 cm being the median. The research was conducted using an inverse variance random model to assess the breadth of the lips before and after surgery. The minimum preoperative lip width was represents 0.89cm and maximum 2.09cm, with median 1.02cm. The minimum postoperative lip width was represents 0.96cm and maximum 2.34cm, with median 1.31cm.
Conclusion: There is no correlation between the anatomical variation in cleft width and height and the diversity of cleft defects that can be treated by Fisher's incision. In cases of unilateral cleft lip repair, Fisher's incision proved to be the most effective surgical and cosmetic method.

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