Do oral flora colonize the nasal floor of patients with oronasal fistulae?

Objective: To determine if oral bacteria colonize the cleft nasal floor in patients with unilateral oronasal fistula when compared with the unaffected nasal floor and whether the results obtained would be of benefit in assess ing oronasal fistulae in the clinic. Design: Prospective study of 26 patients with cleft palate and unilateral o ronasal fistula. Microbiological culture swabs were taken from the mouth an d nasal floors of patients. The unaffected nasal floor was used as a contro l. Bacterial isolates were identified and compared in the laboratory by a s enior microbiologist. Main Outcomes Measure: A significant growth of oral bacteria from the cleft nasal floor when compared with the unaffected nasal fiber. Results: Four patients were excluded because no growth was found on any cul ture plate. In the remaining 22 cases, a light growth of oral flora was fou nd in the cleft nasal floor in only 3 patients. No statistical correlation between culture of oral bacteria and the cleft nasal floor could be found ( p = .12). Conclusions: The relative lack of colonization of the cleft nasal floor by oral bacteria may reflect poor transmission of bacteria through the fistula , competition with commensal nasal flora, or an inability of oral bacteria to survive in a saliva-depleted area. The investigation is not helpful in t he assessment of oronasal fistulae in the clinic.