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Updated: Apr 29, 2026
Method of Studying Palatal Fusion using Static Organ Culture
Published on: September 19, 2015
Outcomes of cleft palatal repair for internationally adopted children
Stephen R Sullivan1, Young-Soo Jung, John B Mulliken
1Providence, R.I.; Boston, Mass.; and Seoul, Republic of Korea From the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the Departments of Plastic Surgery and Pediatrics, Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children's Hospital; the Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Science Research Center, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University.
Background:
Families in the United States adopted approximately 230,000 foreign-born children over the past two decades. Age at adoption and the presence of a cleft palate impact speech and language development. The authors' purpose is to document speech outcome after palatal closure in internationally adopted children.
Methods:
The authors reviewed internationally adopted children with cleft lip-cleft palate or cleft palate who had two-flap palatoplasty from 1987 to 2010. Data collected included date of birth, cleft palatal type, age at palatoplasty, palatal fistula, postoperative speech assessment, and need for secondary surgery.
Results:
The authors identified 55 children adopted with unrepaired cleft palate. Palatal types were Veau I (n = 1), II (n = 1), III (n = 37), or IV (n = 16). Median age at palatoplasty was 25.6 ± 11.8 months; palatal fistula occurred in five patients (9 percent). Speech outcome was successful in 28 patients (51 percent), whereas a secondary operation was recommended for 27 patients (49 percent). Need for a secondary operation was independent of palatal type (p = 0.6). Children who required a pharyngeal flap were significantly older at the time of palatoplasty compared with those who did not (p = 0.009). There was a significant association between increasing age at palatoplasty and need for a secondary operation (OR, 1.07; 95 percent CI, 1.01 to 1.13; p = 0.01). Pharyngeal flap significantly improved speech (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
International adoption with late palatoplasty can result in disordered speech. Velopharyngeal insufficiency is associated with increasing age at palatoplasty. The authors recommend palatoplasty and speech therapy soon after adoption.
Clinical Question/Level Of Evidence:
Risk, III.
