title: Submucous cleft palate with a discontinuous bony deformity.
abstract: An unusual submucous palatal cleft is presented. In addition to the usual triad of bifid uvula, posterior bony notching, and diastasis of the velar musculature, there was a linear bony cleft involving only the maxillary component of the hard palate. The palatine bone was intact between the posterior notch and the maxillary cleft. A discontinuous palatal cleft is an extremely rare deformity and is interesting because existing theories of cleft pathogenesis do not readily explain such a defect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Malata
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cooter
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Batchelor
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010156:Palatal Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D010159:Palate / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology