Otolaryngic Findings in a Cleft Palate Population

Abstract

The high incidence of middle ear disease in a cleft palate population is well known. Originally, it was planned to examine the larynges in a conseéu— tive patient population for possible correlation to hoarseness and other speech defects. The otologic examination was performed in conjunction with typmanometry and audiologic assessment. The correlation of these findings were presented in the previous paper. Method and Procedure In each consecutive patient in our series of 126 patients seen at the Cleft Palate Clinic at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, (De— partment of Communications Disorders), an attempt was made to examine the larynx. This was performed in a separate examining room with a head mirror and laryngeal mirror. An attempt was not made on 25 of the patients because of total uncooperativeness. The otoscopic examination was performed with a pneumatic otoscope and our impressions were recorded separately without previous knowledge of the audiologic and tympanometry examinations. This examination included mobility, color, thickness of the tympanic membrane, perforations, ventilation tubes and findings of ceru— men. Where ever possible, cerumen was cleaned from the external canal and examination of the tympanic membrane was then performed. Tabulation of the sex, race, and age were made while reviewing the data. SEX, RACE, AND AGE. Of a group of 126 patients 70 were male (55.5 %) and 56 were female (44.5%) (Figure 1). Caucasians constituted 80% of the pa— tient population with Indians 10%, Negroes 8%, and miscellaneous 1.6% (Figure 2). The average age at the first visit to our clinic was 7.1 years with the youngest being presented at 3 weeks of age and the oldest presenting at 30 years 6 months of age. During the period of our study 36 new patients were added to our cleft palate clinic population and the average patient had been seen in our clinic three and one half times.