Congenital craniofacial anomalies: The experience of a sub-Saharan African tertiary hospital

Abstract

Background: Congenital craniofacial anomalies range from a simple notch to grotesque craniofacial morphology, which may not be compatible with life. There is dearth of literature on the clinical profile of congenital craniofacial anomalies as an entity in our practice setting in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the in hospital clinical records of individuals with craniofacial anomalies during a five-year period in a foremost university teaching hospital in Nigeria. The information retrieved included the biodata of patients and their parents; the types of cranial-facial anomalies whether isolated or associated with other system birth defects in each case , treatment received, and the final in-hospital disposition - whether dead or discharged home alive. Results: There were 2 0 0 patients with 2 7 2 individual craniofacial anomalies constituting 17.4 % of all congenital anomalies in o u r multidisciplinary birth defect study group database. The median a g e of presentation w a s 1.7 months; the craniofacial anomalies occurred in isolation in 77.0 % of the cases, and craniofacial clefts were the commonest. T h e cardiovascular, central nervous and musculoskeletal systems were the most common associate d with other-system anomalies. T h e hospital exit status was good in 9 6 % of those with isolate d anomalies compared to the 8 3 % in those with concurrent t multiple lesions. Surgical treatment w a s carried out in $6% of the patients with craniofacial anomalies during the study period. conclusion: Craniofacial congenital anomalies represented a substantial proportion of all congenital anomalies seen at our center. Orofacial l clefts were l he commonest of these e anomalies, majority y occurring in isolation and significant proportions of these were amendable to surgical operative