Surgical treatment of submucous cleft palate: a comparative trial of two modalities for palatal closure

Submucous cleft palate is a congenital malformation with specific clinical and anatomical features. It can be present with or without velopharyngeal insufficiency. Surgical treatment of this malformation is indicated only when velopharyngeal insufficiency has been demonstrated. This article compares two modalities of surgical treatment for submucous cleft palate. The first includes a minimal incision palatopharyngoplasty, as described in a previous report. The second combines the first technique with additional individualized velopharyngeal surgery (individualized pharyngeal flap or sphincter pharyngoplasty) performed simultaneously. The individualized part of the procedure was selected and performed according to the findings of videonasopharyngoscopy and multiview videofluoroscopy, as reported previously. Two hundred and three patients with submucous cleft palate were studied from 1990 to 1999. Videonasopharyngoscopy and multiview videofluoroscopy demonstrated velopharyngeal insufficiency in 72 patients, who were randomly divided into two groups. Those in group 1 (n = 37) underwent a minimal incision palatopharyngoplasty. Patients in group 2 (n = 35) also underwent that procedure but simultaneously received individualized pharyngeal flap or sphincter pharyngoplasty, according to the findings of videonasopharyngoscopy and multiview videofluoroscopy. The median age of the patients from both groups was not significantly different (p > 0.5). The frequency of residual velopharyngeal insufficiency after palatal closure was not significantly different in both groups of patients (14 percent versus 11 percent; p > 0.5). The mean size of the gap at the velopharyngeal sphincter during speech was not significantly different in both groups of patients before surgery (23 percent versus 22 percent; p > 0.5). After the surgical procedures, there was a nonsignificant difference between both groups of patients in mean residual size of the gap in cases of velopharyngeal insufficiency (7 percent versus 8 percent; p > 0.5). It seems that minimal incision palatopharyngoplasty is a safe and reliable procedure for palatal closure in patients with submucous cleft palate. The use of additional individualized velopharyngeal surgery performed simultaneously did not seem to decrease the frequency of residual velopharyngeal insufficiency. Moreover, the residual size of the gap at the velopharyngeal sphincter was not significantly reduced when an additional surgical procedure was performed simultaneously with palatal closure.