Craniofacial clefts, other than just cleft lip/palate, are a very rare condition. They encompass a wide variety of craniofacial dysmorphologies that can involve all facial parts and all tissue layers and structures in different degrees of severity. These clefts have a huge impact on facial appearance and thus on psychosocial aspects, but also on facial function. Because the affected facial parts have an intrinsic restricted growth, the malformation progresses with time, particularly the facial asymmetry in the unilateral paramedian and oblique clefts. In addition, surgical procedures may further hamper facial growth. Given the enormous variation in presentation, a personalized treatment should be offered by an experienced team that keep focused on the long-term outcome.

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doi.org/10.1002/9781118655412.ch20, hdl.handle.net/1765/99529
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Mathijssen, I., & Versnel, S. (2015). Craniofacial Clefts. In Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: Approaches and Techniques (pp. 255–263). doi:10.1002/9781118655412.ch20