The Role of Prognostic Factors in Perioperative Adverse Events and Complications in Children with Cleft Palate Repair

Aim: Cleft lip and palate (CLP) deformity is the most common type of craniofacial malformation and is usually corrected surgically in infancy. Anesthetic management of children undergoing CLP repair has many challenges. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effect of prognostic factors on perioperative complications in children with cleft palate (CP) repair. Methods: In this study, pediatric cases who underwent cleft palate surgery in a tertiary care hospital between 2015 and 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. The primary outcome measure was perioperative adverse outcomes rate. Results: The incidence of all perioperative adverse events including airway, and respiratory complications, ICU admission, blood transfusion and re-operation requirement was determined as 40.7% (n=88) and the incidence of respiratory adverse events was found as 28.7% (n=62). Moreover, low body weight (OR 0.69, 95% CI 1.18-1.78, p<0.001), comorbidity, concomitant presence of syndrome (OR 7.19, 95% CI 2.02-25.60, p<0.001) and cleft lip (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.10–6.73, p=0.030), and complete type of cleft palate (OR 0.33, 95% CI 1.22–7.46, p=0.017) were risk factors for perioperative adverse events. Conclusions: In this study, a significant relationship was found between underweight, comorbidity, the presence of concomitant syndrome, cleft lip, complete type of cleft palate and the risk of developing perioperative adverse events in children with CP repair.