[Submucosal cleft of the palate]

After a brief review of the literature, the evolution of the concept of submucous cleft palate is described and its clinical diagnostic and therapeutic aspects examined. In particular, it is emphasised that however rare, this condition is important as one of the main causes of velopharyngeal insufficiency and therefore overt rhinolalia. The report ends with the presentation of two classic clinical cases in which severe rhinolalia was satisfactorily cured by surgery.