INTRODUCTION  The velopharyngeal sphincter (VPS) is a muscle belt located between the oropharynx and the nasopharynx. Investigations of velopharyngeal function should include an auditory-perceptual evaluation and at least 1 instrument-based evaluation such as videonasoendoscopy. AIM  To compare the findings of auditory-perceptual evaluation (hypernasality) and videonasoendoscopy (gap size) in...

INTRODUCTION The interpretation of the speech results obtained with the buccinator myomucosal flap in the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency in patients with cleft palate has been limited by the restriction in the number of patients and the time of postoperative follow-up. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of the buccinator myomucosal flap on speech hypernasality in the treatment of pat...

The velopharynx is a complex structure that is responsible for separation of the oral and nasal cavities during speech production and swallowing. Incompetence of this mechanism can lead to hypernasality, with nasal air emission and incomprehensible speech, as well as nasopharyngeal regurgitation. There can be a significant social stigma associated with velopharyngeal dysfunction, and surgical t...

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a new technique for analyzing velopharyngeal movement and to investigate its utility. Materials and Methods: Velopharyngeal motion of 20 normal individuals was analyzed. A three-dimensional (3D) endoscope was inserted into the oral cavity, and the movement of the soft palate was measured using an exclusive fixation device. Range images of the...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To describe a modification of the originally described superiorly based pharyngeal flap as a secondary operation to correct velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) in patients with nonsyndromic repaired cleft palate. STUDY DESIGN Prospective clinical trial at university medical center. METHODS Twenty-six patients with VPI after cleft palate repair underwent a modified poste...

BACKGROUND Velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) is a disorder commonly associated with a characteristic facial appearance, congenital heart disease, and velopharyngeal insufficiency. An association with vascular anomalies in the cervical area and skull base has been reported. In this study, we evaluated 7 consecutive patients who received vascular imaging for preoperative planning of velopharyngeal...

PURPOSE To compare the nasoendoscopic findings related to the velopharyngeal gap among patients with cleft palate who underwent the Furlow (F) technique and those who underwent the von Langenbeck (vL) technique for primary palatal surgery, who remained with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). METHODS The analyzed data were retrieved from the institution's data of recordings of nasoendoscopic ...

UNLABELLED Acoustic rhinometry is routinely used for the evaluation of nasal patency. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the technique is able to identify the impairment of velopharyngeal (VP) activity in individuals with clinical diagnosis of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). METHODS Twenty subjects with repaired cleft palate and inadequate velopharyngeal function (IVF) and 18 non-cleft co...