Distribution of palatal and other arteries in cleft and non-cleft human palates.

Cleft lip and cleft palate are two possible effects of fusion failure of embryonic facial processes. Aberrant facial morphogenesis suggest aberrant arterial distribution. Prompted by surgical need, studies detailing major branches of the third or pterygopalatine portion of the maxillary artery acquire practical significance. Therefore postomortem arteriographic studies were undertaken to ascertain location of these major arteries and their branches in twelve near-term human fetuses. Comparison was made between arterial distributions in three cleft and nine non-cleft fetal palates. The question of bilateral symmetry was examined. It is known that these major branches are commonly present on both sides, but the study revealed numberous variations in each facial half in both cleft and non-cleft palates. Variation implies morphologic contradiction with sterotype presentations. So numberous are the variations that occasionally they may account for sudden and unexpected hemorrhage during surgery/and retarded healing or sphacelus of flaps following surgery.