Ear findings in cleft palate patients

The incidence of middle ear disease is high [76%] in subjects with cleft palate. Secretory otitis media was the most frequently detected middle ear abnormality occurring in 32% of the cleft individuals. Significant conductive hearing loss frequently occurs in the cleft subjects 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 also leads to nasopharyngitis