Research Finding Varying levels of Cleft Lip Severity in Different Regions of the World Awarded at the 51st Annual National Student Research Forum

The photos Alexis Lanteri shot during Operation Smile medical missions overseas captured not only the spirit and determination of children born with severe clefts, but also their eternal sadness. Those images inspired Alexis to develop a study with her research partner, Bertrand Parcells, comparing cleft lip severity in three unique populations. Their resulting paper recently was awarded the “Best Poster Presentation - Surgical Category” at the 51st annual National Student Research Forum in Galveston, TX. Lanteri and Parcells are both students at Saint George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada in the Caribbean.

Their winning paper was titled, “A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Cleft Lip Severity in Three Regional Populations.” Alexis, Bertrand and Dr. Ana Karina Lizarraga, a Research Associate for Operation Smile, found that in different regions of the world, patients suffered from varying levels of severity. Cleft lip severity was significantly greater in East Asia as compared to the Middle East – North Africa or Sub-Sahara Africa regions.

The National Student Research Forum is a U.S. national scientific assembly intended for the presentation of research by medical students, graduate students, interns, and residents in the biomedical sciences. The Forum provides an opportunity for young biomedical scientists to receive critical analysis and recognition of their research efforts from established scientists.

Alexis volunteered her services as a medical photographer for Operation Smile’s medical missions in countries including Kenya, Vietnam, and Peru. Her photos were added to Operation Smile’s medical photographic database, which is the largest collection of cleft lip and cleft palate images and is used for patient records, outcomes evaluation and for research purposes. To conduct the study, the students gathered over 700 photographs of unilateral cleft lips taken during the World Journey of Smiles, a 25th anniversary event in which Operation Smile visited over 25 countries during November 2007.

Since 1982, Operation Smile – through the help of dedicated medical volunteers and generous donations – has provided free surgeries to children around the world who suffer from cleft lips and cleft palates. Each year, more than 200,000 children around the world are born with a severe cleft condition – often they are unable to eat, speak, socialize or smile. In some places, these children are shunned and rejected.

“Alexis and Bertrand were committed to reviewing the current medical research and spending countless hours obtaining patient data with Operation Smile,” said Dr. Lizarraga. “They have shown professionalism and are dedicated to improving our understanding about cleft lips.” Dr. Lizarraga worked closely with the students in conceiving the project and directing its progression. She was instrumental in organizing the medical photographic database and analyzing results.

“We are very excited about our results,” said Alexis. “We hope our research is used to direct future studies to better understand the etiology of this disparity.” 

The results from this study are intended to offer insight into the implications of cleft lips in regions most afflicted by this congenital deformity. The observed phenotypical differences are currently being used in future research, and questions such as how nutritional status is influenced by cleft severity are currently under study. Additionally, improved understanding about the severity of this deformity will aid in focusing available resources to areas that require more complex procedures and have higher risk of complications. The photos were analyzed using an anthropometric measurement previously described in a study performed by Fisher et al. published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

For updates on Operation Smile’s global efforts, visit the daily blogs on www.operationsmile.org, follow @operationsmile on Twitter, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/operationsmile.

About Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org)
Founded in 1982 by Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee, Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile has treated more than 150,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization has a presence in more than 50 countries. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.