Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar os casos com fissura de palato submucosa (FPSM) acompanhados no HRAC/USP, no período de 1984 a 2004, verificando a distribuição destes casos de acordo com a idade e conduta adotada na consulta inicial e; se a conduta inicialmente adotada manteve-se ou necessitou ser reconsiderada. Foram analisados 1.260 prontuários de pacientes FPSM, sendo excluídos 175 que apresentavam quadros sindrômicos e, portanto, a amostra final constou de 1.085 pacientes, de ambos os gêneros e procedentes das diferentes regiões do país, os quais foram distribuídos em 5 grupos etários de acordo com idade na época da consulta inicial: menores de 3 anos, de 4 a 6 anos, de 7 a 12 anos, de 13 a 17 anos e acima de 18 anos. A análise evidenciou 557 (51,33%) casos com FPSM isolada e 528 (48,67%) com FPSM associada à fissura labial, sendo os mesmos analisados de acordo com a conduta inicial adotada: acompanhamento, fonoterapia, prótese de palato ou cirurgia, respeitando-se os grupos etários definidos. Após a análise dos casos com fissura de palato submucosa acompanhados no HRAC/USP, no período de 1984 a 2004, concluiu-se que: quanto à distribuição dos casos de acordo com a conduta definida na consulta inicial, na FPSM isolada predominou a indicação para cirurgia nas idades acima de 4 anos e acompanhamento nas idades abaixo de 3 anos e, na FPSM associada à fissura labial predominou a conduta acompanhamento; Quanto à manutenção ou reconsideração da conduta inicial, dos casos indicados para acompanhamento, na FPSM isolada, a maioria dos casos alterou a conduta para cirurgia e na FPSM associada à fissura labial, a maioria manteve a conduta inicial; daqueles indicados para fonoterapia, na FPSM isolada, predominou manter a conduta inicial nas idades menores de 3 anos e de 7 a 12 anos e alterar a conduta para cirurgia nas idades de 4 a 6 anos e de 13 a 17 anos e, nos casos com FPSM associada à fissura labial, a maioria manteve a conduta inicial; dos casos indicados para prótese de palato, na FPSM isolada, a maioria dos casos entre 4 e 6 anos alterou a conduta para cirurgia, houve equilíbrio entre manter a conduta inicial e alterar para cirurgia na faixa etária de 7 a 12 anos e houve manutenção da conduta inicial na faixa etária maior de 18 anos, não ocorrendo casos com FPSM associada à fissura labial, já, dos casos indicados para cirurgia, tanto na FPSM isolada quanto na FPSM e associada à fissura labial prevaleceu à conduta inicial.

This study analyzed the patients with submucous cleft palate (SMCP) assisted at HRAC/USP during the period 1984 to 2004, checking the distribution of these cases according to age range, approach adopted at the initial consultation, and if the approach initially adopted was maintained or reconsidered. A total of 1,260 records of patients with SMCP were analyzed; 175 were excluded due to the association with syndromes, leading to a final sample of 1,085 patients, of both genders and from different regions of the country, which were distributed into 5 age groups according to the age rage upon initial consultation: younger than 3 years, 4 to 6 years, 7 to 12 years, 13 to 17 years, and older than 18 years. The analysis revealed 557 (51.33%) cases with isolated SMCP and 528 (48.67%) cases with SMCP associated with cleft lip. These cases were analyzed according to the initial approach adopted: follow-up, speech therapy, speech prosthesis, or surgery, according to the aforementioned age groups. The following could be concluded: with regard to the initial approach, for patients with isolated SMCP, there was predominance of indication for surgery at the ages above 4 years and follow-up for patients younger than 3 years, whereas in cases with SMCP associated with cleft lip there was predominance of follow-up. Concerning the maintenance or reconsideration of the initial approach, among the cases with isolated SMCP indicated for follow-up, in most cases the approach was altered to surgery, whereas the initial approach was mostly maintained for individuals with SMCP associated with cleft lip. Among individuals with isolated SMCP with indication for speech therapy, there was predominance of maintenance of the initial approach for patients younger than 3 years and aged 7 to 12 years, with maintenance of the initial approach for patients aged 4 to 6 years and 13 to 17 years, with predominance of maintenance of the initial approach for patients with SMCP. In relation to the cases with isolated SMCP with indication for speech prosthesis, the approach was altered to surgery in most cases aged 4 to 6 years; there was similar proportion between maintaining the initial approach and altering to surgery at the age range 7 to 12 years; and the initial approach was maintained for patients older than 18 years; there were no cases of SMCP with cleft lip under this indication. Contrarily, among the cases with indication for surgery, the initial approach was maintained for individuals with both isolated SMCP and SMCP with cleft lip.