Congenital Malformations Associated with Cleft Lip and/or Palate

Abstract

The authors analyzed statistically 287 patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, who had visited the ENT clinic of Ehime University Hospital, from 1976 to 1990. Sixty-five patients (22.6%) had other congenital malformations. Malformations of the limbs were observed most frequently, then malformations of the ear, and third of the heart. Sixteen patients (5.6%) had congenital malformation syndromes, four of them with anomalies of chromosomes. The incidence of normal language development after palate plasty was 92.7% in patients without associated malformations and 58.3% in those with associated malformations. The authors recommend a team approach, including pediatrician, anesthesiologist and speech therapist in the treatment of cleft palate speech when other congenital malformations are present. © 1992, The Society of Practical Otolaryngology. All rights reserved.