Malformations of the ear in cleft palate patients

Abstract

Clefts are associated with malformations of the ear in 1.5%, while in the remaining population malformations of the ear are recorded in only 0.07%. In 1,400 cleft lip and palate patients we observed 21 ear-malformations (anotia, microtia etc.). In transverse clefts deformations of the car are very frequent (60–70%). — The timing for determination of malformations of the ear is limited between the 25th and 36th day of prenatal life; the cleft lip is determined at the 36th day. Therefore exogenous influences may cause at the same time clefts and car deformity. There are some syndromes in which the combination of clefts and car-malformation is observed. In our patients we found this in the Franceschetti syndrome (5 cases), Ullrich-Feichtiger syndrome (1), Waardenburg's syndrome (1), Nager-de Reynier syndrome (4), Klippel-Feil syndrome (1), oculo-vertebral syndrome (1). Mandibular dysostosis (Nager-de Reynier) is often associated with hypoplasia of the mandible. In our patients we did not find a combination of clefts and ear deformity in Thalidomide cases.