Descriptive study of management of palatal fistula in one hundred and ninety-four cleft individuals

Objective: Palatal fistula is a significant complication following cleft palate repair. The guidelines of management of the palatal fistula is dependent on the type of cleft, site of fistula, condition of surrounding tissue and associated problem. We studied the management and outcome of 194 cleft palate fistula in our institute.

Design: We present the descriptive hospital-based study of management of palatal fistula in 194 cleft patients. We have excluded all the syndromic children and children whose anterior palate was not operated as per protocol.

Settings: Of 194 cleft palate fistula, 37 had palate repair in our hospital and 157 were refereed with fistula following palate repair.The patients were evaluated by interdisciplinary team and plan of management was decided.

Result: Various parameters like types of cleft, site of fistula and management of fistula were studied in all the patients. Fifty-two percent were in unilateral CLP and 30% in bilateral CLP because unilateral CLP is the commonest type of cleft. Postalveolar and hard palate region contributing to 67% of all fistulae, followed by junctional in (9%). Seventy-two percent of fistula were amenable for repair by local available tissue, 28% needed tongue flap due to shortage of tissue. Minor numbers have failure of procedure for fistula closure needing further management.

Conclusions: This descriptive study present analysis of management of fistula in our institute. It also reinforces that patient with bilateral cleft lip and palate more likely to have shortage of local tissue needing the local flaps like tongue flap compare to other cleft types. The surgical management of fistula can be combined to tackle the associated problems.