• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.97-108
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• 2012

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is improper closure of velopharynx during the phonation and swallowing due to various causes, especially appeared in cleft palate patients. The several surgical techniques and speech therapy can be considered in treatment of VPI. The surgical techniques such as Furlow's double opposing Z-plasty, pharyngeal flap, push-back palatoplasty, etc. have been widely used when the speech therapy is not so much effective. However, there is considerable variability in the methods for evaluation and in success criteria making difficult to compare among surgical techniques. This article reviewed the recent articles about comparing the surgical techniques in treatment of VPI. Although there is no significant difference in speech assessment by speech pathologist, Furlow's double opposing Z-plasty is a useful technique especially diminishing hypernasality and nasal emission.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.42
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• pp.8.1-8.5
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• 2020

Background: The cause of maxillary growth restriction in patients with cleft lip and palate remains controversial. While studies have investigated the effects surgical technique and timing have on maxillary growth, few focus on patients with isolated cleft palate (ICP). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact palate repair and its associated complications may have on maxillary growth. Methods: A retrospective chart review of ICP patients who underwent palatoplasty from 1962 to 1999 at Akron Children's Hospital was performed. Patient demographics, Veau type, age at primary repair, closure technique, presence of fistula or velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), number of palatal operations, maxillary hypoplasia (MH) frequency, and follow-up were recorded. Exclusion criteria included patients with cleft lip, submucous cleft, or syndromes. Results: Twenty-nine non-syndromic ICP patients were identified; 62% (n = 18) had Veau type 1 and 38% (n = 11) had Veau type 2. All patients underwent 2-flap or Furlow palatoplasty with mobilization of mucoperiosteal flaps. Vomerine flaps were used in all Veau 2 cleft palate closures. Palatoplasty was performed at a mean age of 19.9 ± 8.2 months. Average follow-up was 209 ± 66.5 months. The rate of VPI was 59% (n = 17) and the rate of oronasal fistula was 14% (n = 4). Conclusions: There was a low incidence of MH despite complications after initial palate closure. Our results seem to suggest that age at palate closure, type of cleft palate, and type of surgical technique may not be associated with MH. Additionally, subsequent procedures and complications after primary palatoplasty such as VPI and palatal fistula may not restrict maxillary growth.

• Proceedings of The Korean Cleft Lip And Palate Association
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.36-36
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• 1997

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2000

Submucous cleft palate is a relatively uncommon congenital anomaly accompanying velopharyngeal incompetence(VPI). Double opposing Z-plasty has many advantages including prolongation of soft palate, normal midfacial growth, midline scar. We analyzed postoperative results comparing with those of preoperative evaluation by several variables(nasometer, endoscopy, satisfactory scale) in 14 patients treated with double opposing Z-plasty due to submcous cleft palate. Nasalance score in Ah sound, Ma phrase, and Pa phrase decreased 20.23%, 3.25%, and 23.26% in the average, respectively. As a result, hypernasality improved significantly. Closure rate in velum evaluated by endoscopy was increased from 0.44 to 0.76. In objective satisfactory scale checked by each patient's guardian at the postoperative period, much improved in 3, improved in 6, minimally improved in 1, and no difference in 1 was reported. (n=11 patients) Double opposing B-plasty is a good surgical modality in patients accompanying VPI with submucous cleft palate or incomplete cleft palate and will be used more usefully and widely.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.14 no.1_2
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• pp.1-21
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• 1992

In order to find the causes of velopharyngeal incompetency after primary palatorrhaphy in cleft patients, we analyzed the form and function of the velopharyngeal space of fifteen operated cleft palate patients and five normal subjects. The velopharyngeal function was evaluated by lateral cephalometric radiography, velopharyngography and hypernasality cul-de-sac test. The obtained results were as follows. 1. The rate of velopharyngeal incompetency was twenty percent, three of the fifteen operated patients. Two of them were complete cleft palate and the other was incomplete one. 2. The length of soft palate and levator eminence were longer in normal group than those of good speech group and complete cleft palate group during phonation of /i/ (P<0.05). The lengthening rate of soft palate was smaller in good and poor speech group than that of normal group(P<0.05), and, reduced in order, normal group, complete cleft palate group and incomplete palate group(P<0.05). 3. The nasopharyngeal distance had no significant difference between all groups at rest, but, smaller in normal group than that of both cleft palate group(P<0.05), good speech group and poor speech group(P<0.05) during phonation of /i/ The difference in nasopharyngeal distance between rest and /i/ phonation was greater in normal group than that of both cleft palate group, good speech group and poor speech group. 4. The moving distance of sop palate reduced in order, normal group, incomplete cleft palate group, complete cleft palate group(P<0.05). 5. The distance between lateral pharyngeal wall had no significant difference between all groups in rest, but, smaller than that of complete cleft palate group in normal group(P<0.01) and increased in order normal group, good speech group, poor speech group(P<0.01) during phonation of /a/. The mobility of lateral wall was reduced in order, normal group, good speech group poor speech group(P<0. 01). 6. There was low corelationship between the mobility of lateral pharyngeal wall and soft palate. Therfore, it suggest that the movements of lateral pharyngeal wall and soft palate occurs independently.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.721-728
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• 2004

Velopharyngeal closure is a sphincter mechanism between the activities of the soft palate, lateral pharyngeal wall and the posterior pharyngeal wall, which divides the oral and nasal cavity. It participates in physiological activities such as swallowing, breathing and speech. It is called a velopharyngeal dysfunction when this mechanism malfunctions. The causes of this dysfunction are defects in (1) length, function, posture of the soft palate, (2) depth and width of the nasopharynx and (3) activity of the posterior and lateral pharyngeal wall. The purposes of this study are to analyze the nasopharynx of cleft palate patients using cephalometry and to evaluate the degree of hypernasality using nasometry to find its relationship with velopharyngeal dysfunction. The following results were obtained : 1. In cephalometry, there were significant differences in soft palate length, soft palate thickness, nasopharyngeal depth, nasopharyngeal area, and adequate ratio between two groups. 2. In nasometry, there were significant differences between two groups in vowel /o/ and sentences including oral consonants. 3. In cleft palate patients, though no general correlation was found between Anatomic VPI and nasalance scores, vowel /i/ and sentences including oral consonants were slightly correlated. In conclusion, cephalometry and nasometer results were significantly different between the two groups. Though in the cleft palate group, Anatomic VPI and nasalance scores, which are indices for velopharyngeal closure, excluding the vowel /i/ and sentences including oral consonants show generally no significance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1997

The authors compared 20 cases of preoperative and postoperative results in patients with hypernasality who were treated at Yongdong Severance hospital from January 1994 to August 1996. According to the severity of the hypernasality, types of operations such as superior based pharyngeal flap surgery or posterior pharyngeal wall augmentation was selected. The preoperative and postoperative results wert analyzed by 2 otorhinolaryngologists and 1 speech therapist through an endoscopic examination and voice evaluation. follow up period was 1 month to 17 months and mean was 5.6 months. Types of the velopharyngeal closure according to the mobility of soft palate and pharyngeal wall could be divided into 3 types : coronal type(2 cases), sagittal type(4 cases), and circular types(14 cases), The results indicated that sagittal type showed the best result. In surgical treatment for hypernasality, the mobility of the pharyngeal lateral wall and making suitable size of lateral per during surgery were the most important factors affecting the patient's satisfaction.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.517-523
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• 2000

Nasopharyngeal closure is a sphincter mechanism between the activities of the soft palate, lateral pharyngeal wall and the posterior pharyngeal wall, which divides the oral cavity and the nasal cavity. It participates in physiological activities such as swallowing, breathing and pronunciation. In case of an error in this mechanism, it is called a nasopharyngeal incompetence. The causes of this error are defects in (1) length, function, posture of the soft palate (2) depth and width of the nasopharynx, (3) activity of the posterior and lateral pharyngeal wall. The purpose of this study is to analyze the nasopharynx of cleft palate patients using lateral cephalograms and at the same time, evaluate the degree of hypernasality of each vowels to find its relationship with nasopharyngeal incompetence. The following results were obtained: 1. The length of the soft palate was markedly short than normal. 2. The adequate ratio was smaller than the normal value. 3. As the adequate ratio decreased, when articulating vowels, anatomic mVPI increased. 4. When articulating each vowels, anatomic VPI was in proportion with the degree of hypernasality. 5. The degree of hypernasality was greater in high vowels(/i/, /u/) than low vowel(/a/). From the above results, it can be concluded that in cleft palate patients, lateral cephalograms can be used effectively in diagnosing and evaluating nasopharyngeal incompetence. The anatomic structure of the nasopharynx has close relation to the degree of hypernasality.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2014

Purpose: The present study was aimed to investigate the variation of soft palate morphology in different age and gender groups. The correlations of radiographic velar length (VL), velar width (VW), pharyngeal depth (PD), and Need's ratio with soft palate variants were also studied in the North Indian subpopulation. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 300 subjects aged between 15 and 45 (mean: 31.32) years. The velar morphology on lateral cephalograms was examined and grouped into six types. The results obtained were subjected to a statistical analysis to find the correlation between variants of the soft palate with gender and different age groups. Results: The most frequent type of soft palate was leaf shaped (48.7%), and the least common was crook shaped (3.0%) among both the genders and various age groups, showing a significant correlation. The mean VL, VW, and PD values were significantly higher in males and significantly correlated with the types of soft palate. A significant correlation was observed between the mean VL, VW, PD, and Need's ratio with various age groups, showing an inconsistent pattern with an increase in age. The types of soft palate, gender, and Need's ratio were also significantly correlated, with an overall higher mean value of the Need's ratio among female subjects and the S-shaped soft palate. Conclusion: The knowledge of a varied spectrum of velar morphology and the variants of the soft palate help in a better understanding of the velopharyngeal closure and craniofacial anomalies.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

Oronasal fistula are a well-known complication of surgical treatment of cleft palate, occurring most frequently in the alveolus and hard palate. Previous reports have demonstrated that oronasal fistulas, particularly if greater than l cm in diameter, had an adverse effect on speech. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between the size of the fistula and the influence on velopharyngeal function. The site and size of the fistula were indicated on graph paper with calipers and measured in $mm^2$. Speech assessment was carried out using a Nasometer, VPI articulation differential test, spectrography. Patient whose fistulas affected their speech had significantly larger fistulas than those whose fistulas did not. The study shows that the larger the fistula, the greater the risk of hypernasality and nasal emission, but even small fistulas can cause speech problems. If obstruction of the nasal passage is eliminated in a patient with a previously asymptomatic fistula, it may result in a fistula becoming symptomatic, resulting in hypernasality and nasal emission. In conclusion, even small fistulas can influence speech production and should be considered before any treatment is planned. The study lends support to early closure of oronasal fistulas, particularly before pharyngeal flap surgery is contemplated.