The Residual Submucous Cleft Palate

A Cause of Persistent Speech and Hearing Problems

An anatomic and functional condition associated with repaired cleft palate, the "residual submucous cleft," is described in five patients. Identified at varying ages, the patients had speech problems associated with velopharyngeal incompetence and chronic otitis media. These problems were at least partially related to initial palatal surgery which did not reconstruct the muscular "rings" of the palate and velopharyngeal portal. Instead, edge-to-edge closures were made, creating a continuous mucosal surface but leaving the "cleft muscle" arrangement common to other submucous clefts, which may lead to velopharyngeal incompetence. The anatomy and pathophysiology, as well as diagnosis and management, of residual submueous cleft palate is discussed by way of targeting these correctable patients.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?