title: Middle ear findings and need for ventilation tubes among pediatric cleft lip and palate patients in northern Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Middle ear problems are common in cleft patients. This study aimed to determine the need for ventilation tubes (VTs) and complications such as tympanic perforation and cholesteatoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 156 children with clefts managed in northern Finland spanning 15 years from 1997 to 2011 were collected from 6 hospitals. The following were recorded: birth date, gender, cleft type, surgery timing, surgery type, number of tube insertions, tube material, middle ear findings, and tube placement timing. Clefts were divided into 4 groups: cleft palate (CP), cleft lip and palate (CLP), cleft lip (CL), and submucous cleft palate. The prevalence of middle ear findings was reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mucous secretion was noted in 96.8% of CLP patients, 69.2% of CP patients, and 13.0% of CL patients. In all, 82.7% of study group had 1 or more VTs placed during follow-up. All CLP patients required more than 1 VT placement. A total of 94.5% of CP patients required VTs compared to 13.0% of CL patients. In the presence of residual oral nasal fistula, the mean number of tube insertions was 5.3. The prevalence of tympanic perforations in clefts was 35.9% and cholesteatoma in 2.6% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CLP and isolated CP patients have frequent middle ear infections requiring multiple VT placements.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors: Ville
authors: V
authors: Lehtonen
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors: Riitta H
authors: RH
authors: Lithovius
authors: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Research Unit of Otorhinolaryngology and Ophthalmology, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors: Timo J
authors: TJ
authors: Autio
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. Electronic address: george.sandor@oulu.fi.
authors: George K
authors: GK
authors: Sándor
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors: Leena P
authors: LP
authors: Ylikontiola
authors: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Orthodontics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors: Virpi
authors: V
authors: Harila
authors: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors: Paula
authors: P
authors: Pesonen
authors: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors: Sari
authors: S
authors: Koskinen
authors: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Paedodontics, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors: Vuokko
authors: V
authors: Anttonen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications*; D004432:Ear, Middle; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation
keywords: Cholesteatoma; Cleft lip and palate; Perforation; Ventilation tubes