Cleft lip and palate: a descriptive retrospective and prospective study conducted at two hospitals in Nairobi

Abstract

This was a combined retrospective and prospective study in which the two sets of results were correlated. The retrospective study was conducted at Kenyatta National Hospital whereas the prospective study was conducted at Metropolitan hospital located at the Eastlands suburban of Nairobi. The main objective of the study was to establish the presentation and pattern of clefts lip and palate and complications of repair at the two hospitals. Files of patients presenting with clefts lip and palate at Kenyatta National Hospital between January 1-998and December 2007 were retrieved and a questionnaire filled for each of them. Sixty eight consecutive patients seen and operated at Metropolitan hospital were recruited in the study after consenting and followed for three months. The data was analyzed using appropriate tests of significance and it is hoped that the results will be useful in future cleft prevention, management and research locally and internationally.