Closer to the Truth on National Fistula Prevalence After Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip and Palate Repair? The Cleft Care UK Study

Yang, A.S., Richard, B.M., Wills, A.K., Mahmoud, O. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0342-6704, Sandy, J.R. and Ness, A.R. (2020) Closer to the Truth on National Fistula Prevalence After Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip and Palate Repair? The Cleft Care UK Study. Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, 57 (1). pp. 5-13. ISSN 1055-6656

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Abstract

Objectives: To (1) determine the prevalence of nonperialveolar palatal fistula up to age 5 following repair of unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) in the United Kingdom, (2) examine the association of palatoplasty techniques with fistula occurrence, and (3) describe the frequency of fistula repairs and their success.  Design: Cross-sectional study.  Setting: All 11 centralized regional cleft centers in the United Kingdom.  Participants: Two hundred sixty-eight children born between 2005 and 2007 recruited by Cleft Care UK, a nationwide cross-sectional study of all 5-year-old children born with nonsyndromic UCLP. Main Outcome Measure: Nonperialveolar palatal fistula prevalence up to age 5.  Results: Fistulas were found in 72 children (31.3%, 95% confidence interval: 25.4%-37.7%) and had no significant association with palate repair sequences. Twenty-four fistulas were repaired by age 5, 12 of which had data showing 10 (83.3%) successful repairs.  Conclusion: The prevalence of nonperialveolar fistulas following primary palatoplasty of UCLP in the United Kingdom was higher than previously reported. This information should be part of the preoperative discussion with families. Prospective collection of the presence of fistulas will be necessary before we can associate the occurrence of fistulas with a surgeon, institution, surgical technique, or protocol of care.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	hard palate,nonsyndromic clefting,palatoplasty,soft palate,surgical complications,oral surgery,otorhinolaryngology ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3500/3504
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School Faculty of Science > School of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Related URLs:	https://www.scopus.com/pages/publication...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	30 Oct 2026 11:26
Last Modified:	11 Nov 2026 14:42
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/104928
DOI:	10.1177/1055665619858871

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