Anatomy and physiology related to cleft palate: current research and clinical implications.

The most important areas for future research related to the anatomy and physiology of cleft palate are thus: (1) the role of the tensor tympani muscle in auditory tube clearance; (2) the specific etiology of auditory tube dysfunction associated with cleft palate; (3) the nature and extent of variability in the muscular deformities associated with various types of cleft palate; (4) the nature and extent of vascular abnormalities associated with clefts of the palate; and (5) the investigation of cleft palate as one aspect of a craniofacial syndrome.