Major hematological diseases associated with cleft lip and palate

Objective: Cleft lip and palate is among the most common congenital anomali es. Its association with major blood disorders has rarely been reported. Th e purpose of this study was to report two patients who had major blood dise ases associated with cleft lip and palate. Patients and Results: From June 1995 to December 1997, there were 2700 pati ents with cleft lip, cleft palate, or both who received treatment at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Two of them were found to have major hematological disorders. In both cases, the disorder was detected by preoperative blood c ell counts and white cell differentiation. Case 1 was a 21-year-old woman p atient with repaired right cleft lip. She was admitted for alveolar bone gr afting and closure of oronasal fistula. Abnormal presentation of blast cell s was found, and subsequent bone marrow study confirmed acute lymphocytic l eukemia. Case 2 was a 26-year-old man with left secondary cleft lip nasal d eformity scheduled to receive staged reconstructive operations. An elevated platelet count was found and subsequently confirmed to represent essential thrombocytosis. In both cases, reconstructive operations for the cleft-rel ated deformities were performed. Conclusions: Association of major hemotological disorders and cleft lip, pa late, or both is rare and is reported herein.