Cleft palate affects 0.1 to 1.1 per 1000 births, with a higher incidence in certain ethnic groups but affecting both sexes equally. Cleft palate may occur in isolation or in combination with cleft lip or in association with other congenital anomalies including various syndromes. The goals of cleft palate repair are to anatomically separate the oral and nasal cavities for normal feeding and improved speech and minimize the risk of oronasal fistulas, velopharyngeal dysfunction, and disruption of facial growth. This review discusses the incidence, causes, and classification of cleft palate; surgical techniques for palatoplasty and perioperative patient management; and complications of palatoplasty.

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) accredits ASPS to provide educational activities and material with Category 1 CME credits. As an official CME provider, ASPS must comply with all ACCME standards, as outlined in the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.

Faculty
Sarah A. Applebaum, MD; Sofia Aronson, MD; Kareem M. Termanini, MD; Arun K. Gosain, MD

Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery® Editors:
Editor-in-Chief: Kevin Chung, MD
Co-Editor: Amy Colwell, MD
Section Editor: John Kim, MD

Intended Audience
This educational activity is intended for all CME-related persons including plastic surgery practitioners, residents, and other healthcare professionals.

Learning Objectives
After viewing this course, the participant should be able to:

1. Understand the embryologic origins, cause, and incidence of cleft palate.
2. Review the anatomy and common classifications of cleft palate and associated defects.
3. Describe surgical techniques for palatoplasty and understand their respective indications.
4. Gain an awareness of general perioperative care considerations, timing of repair, and risk factors for and operative mitigation of complications.

Accreditation
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation
The ASPS designates this enduring material for a maximum of1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Recognition Statement
The Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits offered by this activity are enhanced by ASPS Learner Credit Reporting for learners who have opted into this reporting. Successful completion of this CME activity enables active American Board of Surgery (ABS) members the opportunity to earn credit toward the CME requirement of the ABS's Continuous Certification program when claimed within 30 days of completion of the activity.

Participants in ASPS-accredited education who want their CME credits reported to certifying and state licensing boards must opt-in to reporting and add their NPI as well as state license ID and/or collaborating board ID(s) before claiming credit.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM: 1.0
Patient Safety Credit: 0.5
Media: Journal Article, videos
Release Date: 2/01/2023
Expiration Date: 2/01/2027*
Estimated time to complete this course: 1 hour

*Course access ends on course expiration date

Directly provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons® (ASPS®)

The following planners/faculty members/reviewers have no relevant financial relationships or affiliations to disclose:
Sarah A. Applebaum, MD; Sofia Aronson, MD; Kareem M. Termanini, MD; Arun K. Gosain, MD