Comparison Between the Frequency of Osahs in Children with Cleft Palates Before and After Primary Palatoplasty

<i>Objective:</i> To evaluate OSAHS in children with cleft palate aged 6 to 24 months, before and after primary palatoplasty, at two institutions in Bogotá, Colombia, over a period of 4 years. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> A prospective cohort study, before and after primary palatoplasty, in patients who consulted for cleft palate, underwent a polysomnography prior to the procedure, and were compared with another study conducted 6 to 12 months after the procedure. Additionally, follow-up was conducted through researcher-designed questionnaires to assess the presence and severity of OSAHS. <i>Results:</i> From January 2016 to January 2018, 43 patients were recruited. The most frequent symptoms prior to primary palatoplasty, measured by prevalence, were snoring and sweating, at 30.2% and 34.9%, respectively, both of which improved in the postoperative period. The prevalence of OSAHS was confirmed through pre and post surgical polysomnography, with no significant differences between the two. The evolution of OSAHS severity after surgery showed an increase in the number of patients classified as normal, mild, and moderate, with no cases of severe OSAHS in the postoperative period, indicating improvement. <i>Conclusions:</i> This study compares the presence of OSAHS before and after primary palatoplasty in patients with cleft palate, using polysomnography and surveys to evaluate symptoms of upper airway obstruction. The presence of OSAHS associated with the congenital malformation is identified during the preoperative period, where there are limited information and few studies at this age. However, improvement is most clearly identified during patient follow-up.