Cleft Palate Repair

The presence of a cleft palate indicates unwanted communication between the nasal and oral cavities with grave feeding and communicative functional deficits. Repair of the cleft palate restores the correct anatomic separation of the nasal and oral cavities to improve oral feeding and the development of speech. However, several factors should be considered in the planning and execution of the treatment plan for this disorder. The timing of surgical intervention must be carefully planned as repair may affect midfacial skeletal growth. Surgical techniques should also be tailored to sufficiently address the anatomical deficit. Several techniques have been developed for palatal closure with or without palatal lengthening, and repair is individualized based on characteristics of the cleft palate.