[Early repair for infants with cleft lip. Retrospective study of 263 cleft lip repairs].

This study attempts to define the effect of early repair on the surgical procedure and immediate outcome of cleft lip surgery. The first part deals with 263 consecutive cleft lip repairs (218 infants) categorized retrospectively by age at operation. 123 patients (150 cleft lips) were operated on during the first 4 weeks of life; a subgroup of 40 infants was operated on at a week or less of age; 95 patients (113 cleft lips) were operated at an older age (1 to 12 months). There were no significant difference in immediate surgical result between the groups and there was no apparent difference in the operative results as defined by whether or not the child needed subsequent revision. We are currently encouraging early repair in the full-term baby as the optimum method of management of newborns with cleft lip.