Soft Palate Mucosal Adhesion with Muscle Release: An Option in "Wide" Cleft Palates in a Cohort in Southern Africa

Comparison of speech outcomes in 2 similar groups of "wide" cleft palate. One received a Furlow double-opposing Z- plasty (FZP) versus a group (non-FZP) that received only a muscle release at the second stage after both received a soft palate mucosal adhesion (SPA) at the first stage.

Retrospective review. Thirty-three patients (non-FZP) versus 29 patients (FZP) between 2010 and 2016. Both groups had SPA at approximately 6 months of age. After 12 months, an FZP with hard palate closure was performed in the FZP group. in the non-FZP group, only the muscle was released from the posterior palatal shelves with hard palate closure. Speech and velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPi) were determined clinically and by videofluoroscopy.

The FZP group (15 M: 14 F) with Veau (III = 14; IV = 5; II = 10) had a mean palate length (MPL) of 20.5 mm and mean palate width (MPW) of 11.2 mm at 8.3 months. MPW decreased to 7 mm after 20.7 months. 21% (n = 6) had fistulae. 14% (n = 4) (all males) had VPI. Their MPL was 16.3 mm. The mean follow-up was 5.5 years. In the non-FZP group, (18 M: 15 F) with Veau (III = 22; IV = 7; II = 4), the MPL was 20.5 mm and MPW was 11 mm at 8.4 months. MPW decreased to 6.5 mm after 12.5 months (P = 0.006). The fistula rate was 18% (n = 6). 24% (n = 8) predominantly male (87%) had VPI (P = 0.432). Their MPL was 17 mm; the mean follow-up was 4.7 years.

SPA as a first stage performed in "wide" cleft palate narrows the subsequent hard palate repair and with a muscle release, may be adequate in some patients.