The diagnosis 'bilateral cleft lip and complete cleft palate' indicates what?

• A. Defect on both sides of lip and through palate.
• B. Defect on one side of lip only.
• C. Defect on lower lip.
• D. Defect only of palate.

Answer: (A)

This diagnosis communicates the extent and sides of the clefts. A bilateral cleft lip means gaps are present on both sides of the upper lip, often extending into the nose. A complete cleft palate means the gap goes through the entire palate, from the soft palate all the way to the front hard palate, creating a direct connection between the oral and nasal cavities. Together, it describes defects on both sides of the upper lip and a full-thickness opening in the palate. This pattern explains why feeding and breathing can be more challenging and why surgical repair targets both sides of the lip and the full palate. If the lip defect were only on one side, it would be unilateral; if the lip were intact but the palate were cleft, it would be a cleft palate without lip involvement; and a defect only in the lower lip would not fit this upper-lip, full-palate pattern.