Schneiderian Membrane Thickness Is Increased in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) are more likely to have sinusitis. The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients with CLP have thickening of the Schneiderian membrane. Specific aims were to (1) compare Schneiderian membrane thickness in patients with CLP to noncleft controls, (2) evaluate whether membrane thickening is associated with cleft side in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), and (3) evaluate if age and sex are predictors of mucosal thickening. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Patients with CLP and controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome variable was maximum Schneiderian membrane thickness measured on cone beam computed tomography. The primary predictor variable was the presence of a cleft. Additional variables were cleft phenotype, age, and sex. RESULTS: There were 225 patients with CLP and 93 controls. Median mucosal thickness was 2.4 mm in cleft group and 0.0 mm in controls (P = .006). In cleft group, 56.7% of sinuses had mucosal thickness >2.0 mm compared to 38.2% in controls (P = < .004). Pathologic membrane thickening (>4.0 mm) was significantly higher in cleft group (P = .005). No statistically significant difference in mucosal thickness between cleft and noncleft sides in patients with UCLP. Linear regression showed no association between age or sex and Schneiderian membrane thickness. CONCLUSION: Schneiderian membrane thickening is more common in patients with CLP and is not associated with the side of the cleft in patients with UCLP.