Cleft palate associated with hamartomatous bifid tongue. Report of two cases

Congenital tumours of the tongue may have a detrimental effect on the simultaneously developing adjacent structures. Palate formation may be affected as it develops in the same period of organogenesis as the tongue. We present two such rare cases of cleft palate with tumour of the dorsal tongue as the probable causative factor. To analyse such an entity, it is necessary to understand the embryogenesis of the palate and tongue. The management and possible elucidation of the occurrence with respect to the developmental phases of tongue and palate are detailed in brief. (C) 2008 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.