Congenital Heart Disease in Patients With Cleft Lip/Palate and Its Impact on Cleft Management.

To evaluate characteristics of congenital heart disease (CHD) in patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and assess potential associations with cleft outcomes. Retrospective review of all patients with CL/P who underwent primary cleft treatment from 2009 to 2015. Children's Hospital Los Angeles, a tertiary hospital. Exclusion criteria included microform cleft lip diagnosis, international patients, and patients presenting for secondary repair or revision after primary repair at another institution. Patient demographics, prenatal and birth characteristics, CL/P characteristics, syndromic status, postoperative complications, and other outcomes were analyzed relative to CHD diagnoses and management. Patients with CL/P with (+CHD) were compared to those without (-CHD) CHD using χ Among 575 patients with CL/P, 83 (14.4%) had CHD. Congenital heart disease rates were significantly higher in patients with cleft palate (CP) compared to other cleft types (χ Congenital heart disease is known to be more prevalent in patients with CL/P. These data suggest the condition is particularly increased in patients with CP. Severe forms of CHD are diagnosed and treated prior to cleft care however postoperative fistula may be more common in patients with CHD. Therefore, careful attention is required for patient optimization and palatal flap dissection in patients with coexisting CHD and CL/P.