Palatoplasty: Cleft Palate Repair Surgery – Timing, Techniques, and Goals

Palatoplasty is surgical reconstruction of the palate, most commonly for cleft palate repair in infants.

Typical Timeline

• Cleft lip repair: ~3 months
• Palate repair: 9–12 months – allows healing before speech development (~18 months)

Other Indications

• Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) from paralysis or structural inadequacy

Surgical Techniques

Choice depends on defect severity and anatomy:

• Nasal flaps – local tissue rotation (often for unilateral clefts)
• Pharyngeal flaps – for VPI
• Intravelar veloplasty – muscle reconstruction

Synonyms

Cleft palate surgery, palate repair.