title: The importance of embryological research in the surgical management of the cleft lip deformity.
abstract: The cleft lip deformity has been present throughout mankind, and has entered into the folklore of Nations. There has been a multitude of described repairs. Still they do not provide the hoped for final results. Some of the changes have been based on "thought out" ideas, others on futile guesses. The last few years have seen changes in the surgical direction due to a clearer understanding of the basic embryology. These changes have been made possible by advances in equipment and technology. Changes in animal research, both intra- and extra-uterine, have made possible experiments which may answer some of the suppositions put forward covering both development and healing. The classification of cleft lip places all the deformities in one group, but there may in fact be several groups with different actual causes and failures leading to the same clinical picture. The understanding of the failure or failures that occur in development should lead to a logical approach to the repair of the cleft deformity.
authors.affiliation: Welsh Centre for Burns Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, St. Lawrence Hospital, Chepstow, Gwent, Wales, U.K.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008046:Lip / Q000196:embryology; D009666:Nose / Q000196:embryology; D010159:Palate / Q000196:embryology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012106:Research