Congenital Lateral Cleft Palate of Unknown Etiology

Abstract

The term cleft palate (CP) refers to midline defects extending from the prealveolar ark to the uvula, and these defects present with varying degrees. CP may be complete, incomplete, unilateral, bilateral, or submucosal. It is often observed with cleft lip (CL). In various studies, the incidence of isolated CP has been reported as 1.3 to 25.3 per 1000 births. 1,2 As a result of deterioration of the anatomical structure of the palate, illnesses such as regurgitation, respiratory tract infections, otitis, and speech disorders may occur. These defects are often observed in the midline and are rarely laterally localized. Cleft palates with lateral localization are outside the natural midline cleft closure line and cause clinical complaints similar to other types of CP. Two cases of laterally localized CP have previously been published in the literature. 3,4 The case presented here is the third known case to be reported.