Bifid Uvula

This striking picture of a bifid uvula in an asymptomatic 57-year-old man was taken by Robert P. Blereau, MD of Morgan City, La. Bifid uvula may be associated with submucous cleft palate, a condition in which the epithelium is intact but the palatal musculature is deficient. Should an adenoidectomy be performed in a child with a bifid uvula and submucous cleft palate, the patient may have difficulty in closing the nasopharynx; as a result, the patient's speech may have a permanent nasal tone.