[The influence of the Tübingen soft palate plate and early cleft closure on swallowing and Eustachian tube function in children with Pierre Robin sequence].

CURRENT KNOWLEDGE: Children with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) typically have difficulty with bolus transport and swallowing. Due to velopharyngeal insufficiency caused by the cleft palate, a high percentage of the children affected also have impaired Eustachian tube function.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: In the literature, substantial information may be obtained on conductive hearing loss in PRS patients; however, no study has yet been performed to investigate whether wearing a soft palate plate and relatively early surgical cleft palate closure positively influence Eustachian tube function. In the present study this question was investigated.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 41 PRS children, 27 girls and 14 boys, were included in the study and were examined for hearing ability prior to and after surgical cleft palate closure. All of the children had been wearing a Tübingen soft palate plate until surgical cleft palate closure, which occurred at an age of 3-13 months (mean age 7.3 months). Based on data obtained prior to surgery by BERA, otoacoustic emissions and tympanometry, a hearing loss of more than 30 dB was diagnosed in 68.4% of the children. After 3-6 months, normal hearing ability was found in 70%.

CONCLUSIONS: Wearing the Tübingen soft palate plate, and the improved swallowing function resulting from this, as well as early surgical cleft palate closure had a very positive impact on the hearing ability of the children included in the study.