Objective?To study the mid-facial development characteristics of the goats with cleft palate after in-utero surgical repair at different stages.?Methods?Twenty-four Boer hybrid female goats were selected, aged from 8 to 12 months and weighing from 35 to 55 kg. The mating day was designated for 0 day. At 30 days, pregnant was confirmed by B-ultrasound test, and the goats were divided into 5 groups (experimental groups 1, 2, 3, 4, and normal control group). Twenty pregnant goats of 4 experimental groups (n=5) were injected DL-anabasine (15 mg/day) from 31 to 42 days to establish cleft palate model of fetal lamb, 4 pregnant goats of normal control group used as controls without injection. At pregnant 65, 90, and 120 days, cleft palate was repaired in the uterus in experimental groups 1, 2, and 3, while cleft palate was not repaired in experimental group 4. After 1 month of birth, the maxillary bone width (posterior premolar morphological measurement, PPMM) and the maxillary bone length (anterior premolar morphological measurement, APMM) were measured with CT scanning. The dry skull of goats were harvested for gross observation.?Results?There was no significant difference in PPMM and APMM between experimental group 1 and the normal control group (P gt; 0.05), but there were significant differences between experimental groups 1 and 4 (P lt; 0.05) at 1 month after birth. Significant differences were oberved in PPMM and APMM between experimental group 2 and normal control group, experimental group 4 (P lt; 0.05). There were significant differences in PPMM between experimental group 3 and normal control group, experimental group 4 (P lt; 0.05), in APMM between experimental group 3 and normal control group (P lt; 0.05). Five goats with cleft palate in experimental group 4 died at 1-2 months after birth.?Conclusion?At pregnant 65 days, in-utero surgical repair of cleft palate has less influences on mid-facial development. The earlier repair is performed, the higher risk of miscarriage was.
