The Relationship between Submucous Cleft Palate and a History of Nasal Regurgitation in Patients during Infancy

Submucous cleft palate is a congenital disorder resulting in velopharyngeal insufficiency. Nasal regurgitation is one of the symptoms of submucous cleft palate. This study aims to investigate a relationship between submucous cleft palate and a history of nasal regurgitation in patients during infancy.

This retrospective study includes patients diagnosed with submucous cleft palate at our hospital for 20 years, from 1998 to 2017. Based on the clinical records of these patients, we investigated sex, age at referral to our facility, age at surgery, presence of nasal regurgitation, method of surgery, association of syndromes and mental retardation, and transition of velopharyngeal function.

There were fifty-seven patients referred to our facility. Patients with episodes of nasal regurgitation were referred to clinics later than those without nasal regurgitation. The timing of surgery was also the same. The velopharyngeal function of patients with nasal regurgitation was worse than that of those without nasal regurgitation.

A history of nasal regurgitation cannot predict submucous cleft palate. However, patients with submucous cleft palate with nasal regurgitation had worse velopharyngeal function than those without nasal regurgitation. An increased understanding of the relationship between submucous cleft palate and nasal regurgitation and further study will predict submucous cleft palate and determine a good timing for surgical interventions.