Otologic status in subjects with congenital cleft lip and palate

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the Otologic status of individuals with cleft lip and cleft palate. The incidence of middle ear disease was much higher (72%) in subjects with cleft palate which tends to resolve as age advances. Secretory otitis media was the most frequently detected middle ear abnormality occurring in 36% of the cleft individuals. Significant conductive hearing loss frequently occurs in the cleft subject (70%) which does not alter with age.

The cleft palate alone, and not the cleft lip, appears to be responsible for the above findings. The cleft palate leads to nasopharyngitis with some contribution from anomalies of the eustachian tube or its musculature and nasal defects. Treatment is difficult because of the inability to treat the cause of the disorder i.e. eustachian tube dysfunction and nasopharyngeal infection.