It has been described that many cleft palate patients have middle ear disease. We have experienced many cleft palate outpatients sufferring from exudative otitis media (otitis media with effusion). Studies have shown that middle ear disease inhibits the growth of temporal bone air cells. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between exudative otitis media in cleft palate patients and the growth of temporal bone air cells. Methods and Subjects : The area of temporal bone air

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... s was determined using X-ray films (Schaller projection) by the rectangular area measurement method. 67 cleft palate patients aged between 3 and 15 year (mean : 8.0 years) were enrolled in the study. 38 normal children aged between 4 and 15 years (mean : 7.3 years) served as controls.