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Abstract

Cleft palate is a common congenital pathology, and it has a great impact on the quality of life of the patient. Its form of presentation is very varied, and the prognosis of its treatment is in relation to the type of cleft palate and severity.

The first step to understand the cleft palate is its classification which allows us a better understanding on how the bad outcomes developed and how to solve them.

The present protocol for its treatment is based on the anatomical classification described by Veau and the author’s classification of severity based on the cleft palate index.

The observed bad outcomes after cleft palate surgery seem to be related to the severity of the deformity. The most important factors to consider are the degree of congenital hypoplasia, surgeon’s skill and experience, and surgical technique.

The most common bad results after cleft palate repair are: palatal fistulas, velopharyngeal insufficiency, flap necrosis, wound dehiscence, maxillary hypoplasia, and audiological disorders.

These conditions require an interdisciplinary intervention to guarantee adequate functional and anatomical repair. This chapter illustrates the different surgical methods described for treatment of the secondary cleft palate deformities.

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Rossell-Perry, P. (2022). Bad Results in Cleft Palate Surgery. In: Rossell-Perry, P. (eds) Atlas of Non-Desirable Outcomes in Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98400-7_8

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