PLANA Therapy for Infants With Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate—Two Case Reports

Abstract

Infants with complete bilateral cleft lips and a significantly protruded premaxilla present considerable challenges for the surgeon during the primary lip and nasal reconstruction. Current presurgical infant orthopedics (PSIOs) methods to reduce cleft severity—such as lip adhesion surgery, the Latham appliance, and nasoalveolar molding—often increase the burden of care. Presurgical lip, nose alveolar approximation (PLANA) therapy offers an alternative that effectively reduces this burden. This case report describes the use of PLANA therapy in two infants with bilateral cleft lip and palate, one with mild and one with a significantly protruded premaxilla. PLANA utilizes medical adhesive lip taping and a prefabricated series of nasal silicone devices to retract the premaxilla while promoting nasal tip projection and gradual controlled columellar elongation. The combined action of hydrocolloid lip tapes and nasal devices supports early presurgical objectives and minimizes caregiver demands and prepares patients for primary reconstruction surgery. These two-case reports also address the variations in premaxillary retraction among infants with and without protruded premaxilla.