title: Micro-structured Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate for Repair of the Alveolar Cleft in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients: A Pilot Study.
abstract: Can a synthetic bone substitute be used to repair the alveolar cleft to bypass donor site morbidity as well as to shorten the operating time? In earlier experimental studies, micro-structured beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) provided similar bone healing when compared with grafting with iliac crest bone. This justifies the clinical evaluation of this bone substitute in the human alveolar cleft situation.
  
  
  
  Prospective clinical study.
  
  
  
  University clinic.
  
  
  
  Seven patients, all with unilateral alveolar cleft, were randomly included for alveolar cleft repair with β-TCP in 2010 and 2011.
  
  
  
  In all patients, the alveolar cleft was repaired by micro-structured β-TCP grafting. Our assessments were distilled from cone beam computed tomography scans taken preoperatively, 1 week postoperatively, and 6 months postoperatively. A volumetric outcome could be realized.
  
  
  
  Six months after the operative grafting of micro-structured β-TCP into the alveolar cleft, the bone volume thus acquired was satisfactory. We found an average bone volume percentage of 73% ± 6% compared with the original cleft volume.
  
  
  
  Previous experimental and clinical studies and the initial findings of this pilot study now elucidate a path toward the clinical use of micro-structured β-TCP bone substitute for repair of the alveolar cleft.
authors.forename: Ad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Ruiter
authors.forename: Nard
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Es
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koole
authors.forename: Toine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods*; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018786:Bone Substitutes; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C485817:beta-tricalcium phosphate
keywords: bone grafting; bone regeneration; bone substitute; cleft lip and palate (CLP); β-TCP