title: Cleft palate repair: art and issues.
abstract: Caring for the child with cleft palate requires a multidisciplinary approach that begins with evaluation for other possible congenital anomalies, decisions about timing of repair, and choice of techniques. Postoperative follow-up similarly requires a team approach and should include an otolaryngologist, an orthodontist, and a speech therapist. The art of cleft palate repair has enjoyed a decade rich in new developments. New techniques have been developed, and standard techniques have been refined. Most importantly, the need for prospective, randomized trials to objectively compare surgical techniques has been recognized. Initiation and completion of these trials will improve outcomes for patients with cleft palate repairs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University Medical Center, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, Riley Hospital #2514, 702 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5200, USA. asadove@iupui.edu
authors.forename: A Michael
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sadove
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Aalst
authors.forename: John Andrew
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Culp
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000145:classification / Q000196:embryology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome