Ultrastructural Characteristics of the Orbicularis Oris Muscle in the Microform Cleft Lip

RecentIy, increasing emphasis has been placed on the histochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of the muscle in the cleft lip. Schendelet al and Cho et al demonstrated a non-neurogenic muscle atrophy and mitochondrial myopathy, and Raposio examined an increased inflammatory reaction, but no mitochondrial abnormalities of the cleft lip muscle. However, no study has focused on the ultrastructure of the microform cleft lip muscle. Eleven muscle specimens were obtained from the microform cleft lip patients at the time of primary repair from Jun.1997 to Aug.1998 and they were submitted to histologic and histochemical examinations as well as electron microscopy. A non-neurogenic muscle atrophy was seen on HE stain. Modified Gomori trichrome stain revealed red granularity of the muscle fibers, suggesting an increase in mitochondrial activity, however, no ragged-red fibers, a typical sign of mitochondrial myopathy, was found. Electron microscopy revealed atrophy, disarray, and focal loss of myofibrils, dilated sarcoplasmic reticulum with glycogen deposit, and interstitial fibrosis. However, the mitochondrial morphology was well preserved with an increase of the number of the mitochondria which might be secondary change to muscle degeneration. In conclusion, ultrastructural characteristics of the orbicularis oris muscle in the microform cleft lip is non-neurogenic muscle atrophy without mitochondrial myopathy which is controversial in the complete cleft lip.

Median Facial Dysplasia in Cleft Lip and Palate

The term median facial dysplasia was first reported by Noordhoff and Cheng to describe a subgroup in the cleft lip and palate patients exhibiting the following characteristic facial defects; lack of Cupid's bow, short prolabium, absence of the labial frenulum and columella, poorly developed premaxilla, absent upper central and lateral incisor of the cleft side, and deficient septal cartilage and nasal spine. But gross brain anomalies were usually absent. From May 1998 to February 2002, four cleft lip and palate patients at the Asan Medical Center were diagnosed as median facial dysplasia. Lip was repaired at 3 months of age and palate was repaired at 1 year of age. All patients showed significant midface disturbances during the follow-up period. We report 4 cases of median facial dysplasia who showed severe midface growth disturbances.

Stability after Surgical Correction of Mandibular Prognathism Using Bilateral Sagittal Split Ramus Osteotomy with Rigid Fixation

Sagittal split ramus osteotomy(SSRO) has become one of the most popular procedure for correction of mandibular prognathism. Rigid fixation is favored for its stability and patient comfort. But there were few data presented about skeletal stability and factors contributing to relapse for sagittal split ramus osteotomy with rigid fixation. From August 1997 to August 2002, eleven patients, who underwent sagittal split osteotomy with rigid fixation, were studied. Patients with genioplasty or any other orthognatic surgical procedures were excluded from sample. Lateral cephalograms were analyzed before surgery, 1 month after surgery, and 12 months after surgery. The mean amount of surgical setback was 6.29 mm at pogonion and the mean amount of skeletal relapse was 1.29 mm at pogonion. The mean postoperative horizontal change of soft tissue pogonion was 5.66 mm posteriorly, vertical change of menton was 1.83 mm superiorly, and angular change of ramus inclination was 5.88 degree increased. The mean amount of postoperative movement was 1.9 mm anteriorly at soft tissue pogonion, 2.13 mm superiorly at menton, 0.8 degree was decreases at ramus inclination. The amount of skeletal relapse is related to the amount of setback. The results of this study present that the bilateral sagittal split osteotomy with rigid fixation has many advantages and stable procedure for the correction of mandibular prognathism.