Surgical management in submucous cleft palate patients

Area of Science:

• Craniofacial anomalies
• Pediatric surgery
• Speech-language pathology

Background:

• Submucous cleft palate (SMCP) is the most subtle form of cleft palate.
• Early detection is crucial for timely intervention to prevent compensatory speech mechanisms.
• Intervention includes speech therapy and/or surgical repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the age of presentation for children with SMCP.
• To determine the timing of surgical intervention for SMCP.
• To analyze postoperative outcomes in children with SMCP.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records from 766 individuals in a cleft registry.
• Inclusion criteria: children diagnosed with SMCP.
• Data collected: age at diagnosis, surgery, surgical technique, speech therapy, otitis media, family history, syndromes, and other anomalies.

Main Results:

• 56 children with SMCP were identified.
• Mean age at diagnosis was 44.0 months (range 0-150 months).
• 85.7% of children (48/56) underwent surgical intervention.

Conclusions:

• SMCP is frequently diagnosed late, even in developed healthcare systems.
• Nearly 86% of patients with suspected SMCP ultimately required palate surgery.
• Consider SMCP in children with recurrent otitis media, nasal regurgitation, or speech difficulties.