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Perioperative Complications And Concomitant Diseases Of Patients Followed In Intensive Care Unit After Cleft Lip-Palate Surgery

INTRODUCTION: Cleft lip/palate (CLCP) patients might need postoperative care in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to several reasons like difficult airway management, associated abnormalities and perioperative respiratory complications. Our aim was to evaluate the factors associated with difficult airway and need for postoperative ICU follow-up in CLCP patients operated in our institution. METHODS: CLCP patients followed in ICU after surgery between 2005-2013 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included to the study. Ten had CLCP together, ten had isolated cleft palate. Difficult intubation was seen in 8 patients. Difficult mask ventilation was seen only in one patient with 22q11 deletion. All patients with difficult intubation had micrognathia. Nasal fiberoptic bronchoscopy was more commonly used in patients with difficult intubation. There was a statistically significant relationship between the presence of any systemic disease and difficult intubation. Main reasons for ICU follow-up were the need for close monitoring and airway related problems. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Difficult airway is a frequent problem in CLCP patients even in the absence of a diagnosed syndrome. Patients with difficult airway or risk of postoperative airway obstruction could be better followed in ICU during early postoperative period for rapid diagnosis and treatment of possible complications by experienced staff.