Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open
October 20, 2026 · via Europe PMC
Predictors of Delayed Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery: A Case-Control Study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Dawit AM, Eshete MA, Gebeyehu GA, Minasie DK.
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
In this Ethiopian center, isolated cleft palate and living far from the specialist center were the main reasons cleft surgery happened late.
What was studied
Unmatched case-control study of 98 patients at a tertiary center in Addis Ababa (2023-2024), comparing those operated after the recommended age with those operated on time, using logistic regression.
Key findings
- Isolated cleft palate carried a very high adjusted odds of delayed surgery (aOR 21.72, wide CI 4.17-113.12).
- Living farther from the specialized center was also significantly associated with delay.
- Caregiver lack of formal education showed a strong but non-significant association (aOR 8.61, CI 0.68-108.89).
- The final model discriminated well (AUC 0.875).
Clinical relevance
Delays in cleft repair worsen outcomes, and this identifies who is at greatest risk in a low-resource setting. Isolated palate clefts, which are easily missed at birth, deserve particular attention in referral pathways.
Who should care
Limitations
Small single-center sample with very wide confidence intervals and data partly from records and phone interviews, so estimates are imprecise and may not generalize.
Strengthen early detection of isolated cleft palate and make referral and travel access to cleft centers easier for distant families.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
Background
Orofacial clefts are common anomalies, and timely treatment is essential for optimal outcomes. In low- and middle-income countries, surgical delays are frequent, yet contributing factors remain understudied. This study aims to identify and quantify these factors at a tertiary medical center in Ethiopia.
Methods
An institution-based unmatched case-control study was conducted among 98 patients between January 2023 and December 2024. Cases included patients undergoing surgery after the recommended age (cleft lip >6 mo; cleft palate >12 mo), whereas controls received timely surgery. Data were collected from medical records and telephone interviews. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine predictors.
Results
Isolated cleft palate (adjusted odds ratio = 21.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.17-113.12; P P = 0.007) were significantly associated with delayed treatment. Lack of formal education of caregivers showed a strong borderline association (adjusted odds ratio = 8.61; 95% CI, 0.68-108.89; P = 0.096). Post-hoc power exceeded 99.9%. The final model demonstrated good performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.875 and acceptable fit (Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2 = 11.037; degrees of freedom = 8; P = 0.200).
Conclusions
Cleft type and geographic barriers were the primary determinants of delayed surgery. Patients with isolated cleft palate and those residing farther from specialized centers had higher odds of delayed treatment. Interventions should focus on improving early detection, referral pathways, and access to cleft care.
DOI
10.1097/gox.0000000000008187
PMID
42903290
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
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