[Possibilities and limitations in evaluating treatment concepts in lip-jaw-palate clefts].
BACKGROUND
Recently, government and medical practitioners have shown considerable interest in the discipline of evidence-based medicine.
In this study, we investigated the literature concerning treatment concepts in cleft surgery according to criteria of evidence-based medicine. Over the last decade 996 articles on cleft patients were published, 181 of which were studies evaluating the clinical outcome of distinct treatment options. Only 57 studies proved to be classifiable due to a well-described study protocol. One treatment study of cleft patients reached the strength of evidence grade I and strength of recommendation grade A, whereas all other studies had a lower evidence rating.


CONCLUSIONS
The reasons behind these findings seem to be due to problems faced by the specialty of this disease.
Piffko
J
J
Klinik für Mund- und Kiefer-Gesichtschirurgie, Universität Münster, Waldeyerstrasse 30, 48149 Münster. piffko@uni-muenster.de
Meyer
U
U
Joos
U
U
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*