Surgical outcome of pharyngeal flap surgery and intravelar veloplasty on the velopharyngeal function

PURPOSE: To investigate the postoperative outcomes of pharyngeal flap surgery (PF) and secondary palatoplasty with intravelar veloplasty (IV) in the velopharyngeal insufficiency management regarding nasalance scores and velopharyngeal area. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with cleft palate±lips submitted to surgical treatment for velopharyngeal insufficiency, for 14 months on an average, were evaluated: 40 with PF and 38 with IV, of both genders, aged between 6 and 52 years old. Hypernasality was estimated by means of nasalance scores obtained by nasometry with a cutoff score of 27%. The measurement of velopharyngeal orifice area was provided by the pressure-flow technique and velopharyngeal closure was classified as: adequate (0.000-0.049 cm2), adequate/borderline (0.050-0.099 cm2), borderline/inadequate (0.100-0.199 cm2), and inadequate (≥0.200 cm2). RESULTS: Absence of hypernasality was observed in 70% of the cases and adequate velopharyngeal closure was observed in 80% of the cases, in the PF group. In the IV group, absence of hypernasality was observed in 34% and adequate velopharyngeal closure was observed in 50% of the patients. Statistically significant differences were obtained between the two techniques for both evaluations. CONCLUSION: PF was more efficient than the secondary palatoplasty with IV to reduce hypernasality and get adequate velopharyngeal closure.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Barbosa,Daniela Aparecida, Scarmagnani,Rafaeli Higa, Fukushiro,Ana Paula, Trindade,Inge Elly Kiemle, Yamashita,Renata Paciello
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Sociedade Brasileira de Fonoaudiologia 2013
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2317-17822013000500451
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