Condition of ENT organs in children after cleft palate repair
Authors:   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Mamedov Ad.A. ,   G.N.Speransky Children's City Clinical Hospital No 9 of the Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Ivoilov A.Yu. ,   G.N.Speransky Children's City Clinical Hospital No 9 of the Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation,   L.I.Sverzhevsky Research Clinical Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation,   N.I.Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation, Goncharova O.V. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Stebeleva Yu.V. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation, Yanovsky V.V. ,   G.N.Speransky Children's City Clinical Hospital No 9 of the Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation,   L.I.Sverzhevsky Research Clinical Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation,   N.I.Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation, Volkov Yu.O. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation,   G.N.Speransky Children's City Clinical Hospital No 9 of the Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Parshikova S.A. ,   I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russian Federation,   G.N.Speransky Children's City Clinical Hospital No 9 of the Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russian Federation, Obukhova N.V. ,   Ural State Pedagogical University, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Published: March 2022

Objective. To assess the condition of ENT organs in children who had undergone cleft palate repair. Patients and methods. Twenty children with cleft palates of various degrees aged 3 months to 2.5 years were examined and treated in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, G.N. Speransky Children's City Clinical Hospital No 9 in Moscow between 2018 and 2020. Study participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group included 12 patients with cleft palate who were operated during the first year of their life (mean age 8 months), whereas the control group comprised 8 patients with cleft palate who were operated at the age of >1 year (mean age 20 months). We assessed the condition of ENT organs one year postoperatively. The incidence of otitis media with effusion (OME)/auditory tube dysfunction confirmed by otoscopy and tympanometry was 25%. The remaining 75% of patients had no OME/auditory tube dysfunction. The risk factors for OME included complete cleft palate >10 mm and surgery at the age of >1 year. Patients diagnosed with OME require conservative treatment; in case of no positive dynamics within 4 months, surgery should be considered with a tailored approach to every patient. Conclusion. Physical examination by an ENT specialist and additional instrumental examinations are indicated to all children after cleft palate repair. We also recommend mandatory examination by an ENT specialist after each episode of acute respiratory infection or at least twice a year. Key words: children, cleft palate, ENT organs