Frequency of Fistula Formation after Two Stage Repair of Cleft Palate

Objectives: To estimate the frequency of fistula formation after two stage repair of cleft palate. Materials and Method: A total of 50 patients having completed cleft palate repair with or without lip repair were recruited from December 2007 to February 2009. Patients were diagnosed on history and oral examination. Informed consent was taken from parents. Width of the cleft measured preoperatively. Two stage repairs were done by a single surgeon with a time lapse of six months. Results: Five patients developed clinically significant oronasal fistula. All these fistulas occurred at the junction of hard palate and soft palate within 3 weeks time. Conclusion: The overall rate of true fistula development was 12% over a mean follow up period of 6 months. The incidence of true fistulas that were symptomatic and subsequently required surgical repair was 10%. Fistula rates were higher for more wide clefts but were not affected by gender or age.