Styloid, velar, and pharyngeal muscles in cleft palate. Anatomical findings in elderly cadaver with unrepaired cleft palate.

Dessection of the musculature of the palate, pharynx, and styloid process was carried out in a cadaver aged 78 years with an unrepaired complete cleft palate. A new muscle named "the accessory stylohyoid" was found to be attached to the styloid process and the lesser cornu of the hyoid bone bilaterally. Anatomical changes in other muscles especially the stylopharyngeus and palatopharyngeus are described. The functions of these muscles are discussed on the basis of the anatomical findings and previous observations of other investigators.