Cleft Palate Repair
Full Review

Reviewed by: Nabil Samman, Professor and Director, Cleft Lip and Palate Centre, University of Hong Kong
Review posted 24 July 2006
Review No. 82

CD-ROM Information

Content: This CD-ROM is a learning tool for doctors and surgeons in the Asia-Pacific region to understand the specific procedure of cleft palate repair. Because of the video, glossary, photos, and animated diagrams it could also be a useful teaching aid at medical institutions.
Publication Date: 17 September 2002
Audience: The intended users are surgeons or doctors engaged in, or wishing to engage in, cleft palate repair. Potential users are also surgeons-in-training. The CD-ROM is very helpful to both parties. For established surgeons it offers a view of a standard procedure as practiced in a developed country. For trainees it provides detailed viewing of the procedure expertly accomplished by an experienced surgeon.
Producer: Interplast Australia, ITEM Interactive
Size: 552MB
Price: Free
Manual needed: No
How to order:

Order by mail:
Interplast Australia
C/- The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Spring Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Australia

E-mail: interplast@surgeons.org
Tel: + 61 (0) 3 9249 1231
Fax: + 61 (0) 3 9249 1235

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Full Review

Content

This multimedia teaching tool for cleft palate repair surgery has been produced by a professional medical group. It contains seven files that can be opened by clicking on each icon:

1. Introduction. This is a one-page statement about Interplast Australia's philosophy regarding educating and training of doctors in the Asia-Pacific region.
   
   
2. Video. This 45-minute video details the surgical technique of cleft palate repair on a baby on an operating table, with commentary from the operating surgeon. The video clip is interspersed occasionally by animated diagrams of specific steps in the surgical technique. An introduction and comments on local anesthesia, positioning of the patient on the operating table, and lighting and magnification are also given during the video. The video is excellent. Visibility of surgical detail in this generally difficult operative site is adequate. The specific details of the procedure are well documented using zoom features. The interspersed diagrams and animations used during the video are well utilized.
   
   
3. Video Text. This is a timed transcript of the surgeon’s commentary during the video. The text includes links to the glossary of medical terms. By clicking on the highlighted segments, an explanation or definition appears at the bottom of the page. The whole section is printable. It is convenient and accurate except for the label of the page that states "Cleft Lip Repair Text". This is a simple mistake using the word "lip" instead of the word "palate".
   
   
4. Medical Terms. There is a glossary of about 100 selected terms used in the video. It is in alphabetical order and is printable. It is accurate and the explanations given are simple and helpful.
   
   
5. Anatomy Diagrams. There is a choice of three items in this section accessible by clicking on the appropriate heading:
   
   
1. Cleft Palate Animation contains 80 seconds of animated diagrams depicting aspects of the surgery including hamulus fracture, nasal mucosal repair, muscle repair, and oral closure.
2. Palate Anatomy contains 15 labeled photos or diagrams of the pre, intra, and postoperative situation.
3. Surgical Markings contains one labeled photo and one labeled diagram of various incision points that were included in the video.
   
   This section is very helpful. Photo number 11, of the Palate Anatomy section, depicting a closed cleft palate at the end of the operation mistakenly precedes photo 12 showing the two long palatal mucoperiosteal flaps before suturing. However, this does not detract from the section's objective.
   
    
6. Contact Details. This section lists Interplast Australia's address and details of the CD-ROM's designer.
   
   
7. Interplast Australia. This section includes four pages on the history and philosophy of Interplast Australia, recent achievements, and programs until June 2002, including photos.

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 User Friendliness and Navigability

The CD-ROM is extremely user-friendly. It starts immediately and does not require an internet connection. Instructions are clear, icons are obvious, and prompts are excellently displayed.

Navigability is excellent. The CD-ROM can stop anywhere and reverse direction without delay or irritating inconvenience.

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Interactivity

The main interactive features of this CD-ROM are the video presentation and the glossary of terms, which is accessible separately and in the video text.

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Distribution

The CD-ROM is available free through Interplast Australia. Details are noted in the "How to Order" section above. Permission to copy and distribute the CD-ROM for educational purposes is given on the CD-ROM.

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Sustainability

This resource will remain valid and useful for a long time since it concerns a classical surgical technique.

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