Psychosocial and Sexual Implications of Repaired Cleft Lip in an Adult Male

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 12; no. 6; p. e8563
• Main Authors: Gandhi, Jason, Seyam, Omar, Liang, Raymond, Smith, Noel L, Khan, Sardar A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 11.06.2020; Cureus
• Subjects: Adults; Anxiety; Body piercing; Case reports; Children & youth; Families & family life; Patients; Pediatric Surgery; Pediatrics; Peers; Plastic Surgery; Psychologists; Psychology; Quality of life; Reconstructive surgery; Scars; Self esteem; Self image; Sexual disorders; Social skills; Speech; Surgeons; Surgery; Teenagers; cleft lip; lips; sexual dysfunction; psychological adjustment; speech disorders; cleft palate; psychosocial
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.8563

We describe the case of a 32-year-old man with repaired cleft lip complaining of sexual difficulties, which were determined to be multifactorial in origin. A negative body impression, anatomical difficulty in engaging in sexual acts, the indirect impact of secondary complications of cleft lip, and the negative perception of his dysmorphia from potential sexual partners led to his current state. Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are the most common malformations of the craniofacial region. The malformations of anatomical structures involved in CLP can manifest through several variations of clinical features and phenotypes, typically affecting hearing, social integration, speech, and feeding. From birth to the end of growth, a multidisciplinary approach involving orthodontists, speech therapists, psychologists, and social workers is essential for adequate management, even after surgical repair. This case report illustrates the critical importance of the functionality of normal lips essential for sexual function and psychosocial issues encountered in a patient with repaired cleft lip, as this issue likely has a higher prevalence than the literature actually suggests. Adding a psychiatrist on the panel for pediatric reconstructive surgery teams and post-repair rehabilitation would be essential to managing potential sexual and psychological issues into adulthood.