Abstract
Otological and endoscopical study of 192 cleft palate patients was carried out. The results were as follows:
1. Otitis media with effusion was most common (123 ears 32%), followed by chronic otitis media, retraction pocket, cholesteatoma, adhesive otitis media, and middle or inner ear anomaly. In general, in c i dence of ear diseases in this study was 44.5 %.
2. A variety of abnormal movements were seen in pharyngeal orifices of the Eustachian tube. They were classified into two groups. One has tubal opening during swallowing, phonation or mouth opening a s in yawning, which indicated low incidence of middle ear disease, while the other without tubal openin g indicated comparatively high incidence of disease, especially OME.
3. In repaired cleft population, patients with submucous cleft had lower incidence of middle ear disease than those with other cleft types. In submucous cleft population, those with repaired cleft had lower incidence of middle ear disease than those with unrepaired cleft.
4. There was no significant correlation between side of cleft and side of middle ear diseases in unilateral complete cleft lip and palate.
5. Tere was almost no correlation between pharyngeal flap and middle ear diseases.
6. Endoscopical findings of epipharyngeal contamination shows close relation to middle ear diseases.
