Abnormal maxillary trapezoid pattern in human fetal cleft lip and palate.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate abnormal growth patterns of human fetal maxillae with cleft lip and palate (CLP).


METHODS
A total of 71 fetal maxillae with CLP were obtained from aborted human fetuses.


METHODS
Dimensions of the maxillary trapezoid (MT), formed by the maxillary primary growth centers (MxPGC), were taken from radiographic images. The CLP dimensions were compared with maxillary trapezoid dimensions of normal fetuses from a previous study (Lee et al., 1992).


METHODS
Cleft lip subjects without a cleft palate, unilateral cleft lip-alveolar cleft or cleft palate (UCL+A/UCLP), and bilateral cleft lip-alveolar cleft or cleft palate (BCL+A/BCLP) displayed abnormal MT patterns. MT abnormalities were most marked in the BCL+A/BCLP cohort.


RESULTS
The MT growth of prenatal CLP maxillae was severely arrested, resulting in abnormal MT shape on palatal radiograms. BCL+A/BCLP subjects had a more protruded nasal septum than subjects with other types of CLPs, while UCL+A/UCLP subjects showed severe deviation of the protruded nasal septum toward the noncleft side. Cleft lip-only subjects also exhibited abnormal MT growth.


CONCLUSIONS
MT is primarily involved in CLPs, so that the MT shape could be utilized as a sensitive indicator for the analysis of maxillary malformation in different types of CLPs.
Kim
Soung Min
SM
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kangnung National University, Gangeung, Korea.
Lee
Young Joon
YJ
Lee
Sang Shin
SS
Kim
Yeon Sook
YS
Lee
Suk Keun
SK
Kim
Il Bong
IB
Chi
Je Geun
JG
D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000196:embryology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000196:embryology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000196:embryology; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000196:embryology; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000196:embryology; D015050:Zygoma / Q000196:embryology