Nasal respiratory resistance in cleft lip and palate

The present study aimed to determine the nasal respiratory resistance (NRR) in subjects with cleft deformity of the lip and palate. The cleft sample was subdivided into cleft lip (N = 15) (mean age 13.4 years, median age 14 years), cleft palate (N = 19) (mean age 12.7 years, median age 12 years), and unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects (N = 27) (mean age 16.4 years, median age 16 years). A control group consisted of 38 patients (mean age 14.4 years, median age 12 years) attending for orthodontic diagnosis. Respiratory resistance was determined by a Mercury rhinomanometer, which was calibrated dynamically before each session. Subjects were given 0.1% xylometazoline hydrochloride half an hour before each session. Resistance was determined unilaterally by the anterior method as well as bilaterally by the posterior method. The results showed that the bilateral nasal resistance did not differ significantly between the cleft samples and the controls. Unilateral measurements of nasal resistance showed higher values for the cleft side than for the noncleft side, both in the cleft lip (CL) and the unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) samples (p less than 0.001). In the cleft palate sample as well as in the controls, unilateral nasal resistance did not differ between the two sides.