Morphology of the auditory tube and palatal muscles in a case of bilateral cleft palate

Objective: There is an increased incidence of otitis media in children with cleft palate, which may be related to the pathology of the auditory tube and palatal muscles. In the present study, the head of a human on term born fetus with bilateral palatal cleft was serially sectioned and the anatomy of the auditory tube and palatal muscles were studied by computer-aided three-dimensional reconstruction. Results: The results showed a nearly horizontal course of the auditory tube. The tensor veli palatini muscle had a bony attachment on either side. The levator veli palatini muscle also showed an abnormal course. Conclusions: This abnormal course may result in obstruction of the auditory tube during contraction. These pathological findings may explain the higher frequency of otitis media in children with cleft palate.