Conductive hearing loss and otopathology in cleft palate patients.
OBJECTIVE
Assess incidence of conductive hearing loss, ear pathology, and associated communicative disorders in cleft palate patients.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review of 101 patients all treated at a tertiary facility since birth.


RESULTS
The median patient age was 19 years old (range 8-25) at last follow-up, 35% female. Median age of cleft palate repair was 16 months (range 12-60). Median number of myringotomy tubes was 3 (range 1-7). Conductive hearing loss (CHL) greater than 20 db PTA was found in 25% of patients at last follow-up. Severity of CHL was mild in 75%, moderate in 21%, and severe in 4%. Cholesteatoma was identified in 5.9%. The mean age at resolution of CHL was 5 years (range 3-19). Risk factors associated with CHL at last follow-up included middle ear surgery (P = 0.016), cholesteatoma (P = 0.003), and 4 or more myringotomy tube insertions (P = 0.030). Associations between CHL and age at cleft repair, speech impairment, or learning disabilities were not found.


CONCLUSIONS
Children requiring increased number of myringotomy tubes and middle ear surgery and found to have cholesteatoma are at increased risk for long-standing CHL.


METHODS
C-4 SIGNIFICANCE: Cleft palate children requiring multiple tube insertions should be monitored closely for CHL.
Goudy
Steven
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA. steven.l.goudy@vanderbilt.edu
Lott
David
D
Canady
John
J
Smith
Richard J H
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000209:etiology; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications*; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004423:Ear / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors