Acquired Palatal Fistula in Patients with Submucous and Incomplete Cleft Palate before Surgery

Abstract

It is uncommon for a palatal fistula to be detected in individuals who have not undergone surgery, and only sporadic cases have been reported. It is even more difficult to find cases of acquired palatal fistula in patients with submucous or incomplete cleft palate. Herein, we present 2 rare cases of this phenomenon. Case 1 was a patient with submucous cleft palate who acquired a palatal fistula after suffering from oral candidiasis at the age of 5 months. Case 2 was a patient with incomplete cleft palate who spontaneously, without trauma or infection, presented with a palatal fistula at the age of 9 months.

Acquired Cleft Palate Associated with Febrile Illness

“…But perforation following a febrile illness in adults has not been reported in Sudan or anywhere else in Africa. It is uncommon for palatal fistula to be detected in individuals who have not undergone surgery, and only sporadic cases have been reported [3]. A complication after septoplasty procedure in a misdiagnosed sub mucous cleft palate case with the formation of post-operative Palatal fistula [4].…”

Idiopathic Fistula in an Unrepaired Submucous Cleft Palate

“…Patients presenting with a new fistula of unknown origin should be assessed for the presence of a SMCP and repair of the palatal fistula should be completed alongside functional repair of the palate. 3–6,9–16,18,22,25…”

“…The majority of the reported cases presented with palatal fistula at birth or in the early years of life. 3,4,10,11 These palatal fistulae appear as oval-shaped, fullthickness fenestrations, most often in the palatal midline and at the hard-soft palatal junction and do not extend fully anteriorly or posteriorly. 4 These fistulae are mainly identified in patients with a SMCP.…”