1. Humaira Gulnaz 2. Sarah Khalid

1. Asstt. Prof. of Anatomy, 2. Assoc. Prof. of Anatomy, Shalimar Medical and Dental College, Lahore

ABSTRACT

Objective: To objective of this study was to know Familial Predisposition and Gender Discrimination in Patients with Facial Clefts in Local Population.

Study Design: Retrospective observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried on the data was retrieved from the documented files of patients presenting for plastic surgery at Shalimar Hospital and Children’s Hospital and Arif Memorial Hospital from September 2009 to September 2012.   

Methods and Material: The current study was conducted to cross link the occurrence of facial clefts with family history and gender. The profile of 126 patients was collected which were under treatment at various hospitals and was analyzed and evaluated.

Results: Results of the study demonstrated clear gender discrimination; with the incidence of bilateral cleft lip and palate more in males, and unilateral cleft lip and palate had a female predominance. A close association of patients with a positive family history was also seen in the study, 50% of patients with unilateral cleft lip and 50% of patients with bilateral cleft lip exhibited a positive history. 75% of patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate and 25% of the patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate had positive family history. All patients with unilateral cleft palate had a positive family history. A close association demonstrated between the gender, positive family history and facial clefts led us to postulate that a probability of a genetic predisposition cannot be overlooked.

Conclusion: The call of the day is that the future researches pertaining to facial clefts should aim their energies in isolation and localization of the Genetic and/or environmental factors responsible for the congenital malformation. The cleft per se could disappear from the Earth in a near future owing to the gene therapy and prenatal or, perhaps pre-conception screening, which will be able to eliminate the menace before it can disfigure the face of humanity.