Cleft Palate: Part I – Historical perspective and anatomical basis

Cleft palate is a developmental craniofacial anomaly with multiple aspects. With time, the understanding of its anatomy and its pathophysiology evolved leading to simultaneous improvement in surgical techniques. The timing of its surgical as well as nonsurgical management has great importance in determining the functional outcome. The priorities in its management and the techniques are quite well understood now though some difference of opinion still exists. In these series of articles, we aim to discuss its various aspects in detail, beginning with an emphasis on its history and anatomy.