Phonological Profile of Patients With Velopharyngeal Dysfunction and Palatal Anomalies

Purpose This purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and types of phonological process errors in patients with velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) and the different types of palatal anomalies. Method A total of 808 nonsyndromic patients with VPD, who underwent follow-up at the Center for Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies, from 2000 to 2016 were included. Patients were stratified into four age groups and five subphenotypes of palatal anomalies: cleft lip and palate (CLP), cleft palate (CP), submucous cleft palate (SMCP), occult submucous cleft palate (OSMCP), and non-CP. Phonological processes were compared among groups. Results The 808 patients ranged in age from 3 to 29 years, and 439 (54.3%) were male. Overall, 262/808 patients (32.4%) had phonological process errors; 80 (59.7%) ages 3–4 years, 98 (40, 0%) ages 4.1–6 years, 48 (24.7%) 6.1–9 years, and 36 (15.3%) 9.1–29 years. Devoicing was the most prevalent phonological process error, found in 97 patients (12%), followed by cluster reduction in 82 (10.1%), fronting in 66 (8.2%), stopping in 45 (5.6%), final consonant deletion in 43 (5.3%), backing in 30 (3.7%), and syllable deletion and onset deletion in 13 (1.6%) patients. No differences were found in devoicing errors between palatal anomalies, even with increasing age. Phonological processes were found in 61/138 (44.20%) with CP, 46/118 (38.1%) with SMCP, 61/188 (32.4%) with non-CP, 70/268 (26.1%) with OSMCP, and 25/96 (26.2%) with CLP. Phonological process errors were most frequent with CP and least with OSMCP ( p = .001). Conclusions Phonological process errors in nonsyndromic VPD patients remained relatively high in all age groups up to adulthood, regardless of the type of palatal anomaly. Our findings regarding the phonological skills of patients with palatal anomalies can help clarify the etiology of speech and sound disorders in VPD patients, and contribute to general phonetic and phonological studies.

Double-opposing Z-Plasty Extended with a Pedicled Buccal Fat Pad Flap for Correcting Velopharyngeal Insufficiency after Primary Palatoplasty

Introduction Furlow double-opposing Z-plasty (DOZ) lengthens the soft palate; however, this lengthening is achieved at the expense of increased mucosal flap tension. Thus, its use is limited in patients with severe tension applied on mucosal flap after DOZ. In this study, DOZ was combined with a buccal fat pad (BFP) flap to maximize palatal lengthening and muscle repositioning. Methods This study included patients who underwent surgical correction for velopharyngeal insufficiency between December 2016 and February 2019. Patients with more than moderate degree hypernasality following primary palatoplasty were included in the study. Patients younger than 4 years of age, those with a submucous cleft palate, or syndromic patients were excluded. Speech outcomes were investigated for those who underwent DOZ only (DOZ group, n = 17) and those in whom a BFP was used (BFP group, n = 15) pre- and postoperatively. The velopharyngeal gaps between the uvula and pharyngeal wall were measured before and immediately after surgery to estimate the palatal length. Results Most patients who received a BFP showed improvement in hypernasality. However, the hypernasality of the DOZ group was more severe than that of the BFP group (p = 0.023). The extent of palatal lengthening was 4.4 ± 1.7 mm and 7.5 ± 2.1 mm in the DOZ and BFP groups, respectively (p = 0.001). Conclusions BFPs reduced the tension of the DOZ mucosal flap and maximized palatal lengthening and muscle repositioning. They promoted velopharyngeal closure in patients with moderate and moderate-to-severe velopharyngeal insufficiency. Hence, our method improves the surgical outcomes of patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency after primary palatoplasty.

The efficacy of transnasal palatal transillumination for the diagnosis of submucous cleft palate

Background Submucous cleft palate (SMCP) is a congenital abnormality with various clinical and anatomical features. Submucous cleft pathologies may be unrecognized during routine examinations. Current diagnostic techniques are constrained and unrevealing in presurgical patients. This prospective study aimed to evaluate transnasal palatal transillumination technique in diagnosis of SMCP at our institute hospital, during period from 2005-2020. Patients and methods Twenty-one cases with SMCP were recruited with age range from 2-60 months. Transnasal palatal transillumination with controllable light intensity endoscope used to evaluate SMCP and cases were photo and video recorded. Results In this study, 21 cases (13 males and 8 females) with SMCP were detected or confirmed by intranasal transnasal palatal transillumination. Frequency of SMCP patients at our institute was 3.39%. All patients presented with symptomatic complaints at diagnosis time, apart from 5 patients (23.8%) were diagnosed during cleft lip repair operations. Presenting symptoms were hypernasality (23.8%), delayed speech (23.8%), perforated palate with nasal escape of milk and food (14.3%), feeding difficulties (14.3%), and otitis media (4.8%). During intra-oral examination, all cases had a bifid uvula accompanied SMCP. Submucous cleft palate appeared as thin palate with central lucency. According to operative findings, operations done for repair were mostly two long palatal flaps (n = 13, 61.9%), von Langenbeck (n = 5, 23.8%), simple repair with lateral release incisions (n = 2, 9.6%), and simple repair without lateral release incision (n = 1, 4.8%). Conclusions Intraoperative assessment of submucous cleft palate with transnasal palatal transillumination is easy and cheap method to avoid missing cases of SMCP.

Dental anomalies frequency in submucous cleft palate versus complete cleft palate

Summary Background/Objectives This retrospective study evaluated the prevalence of dental anomalies of number in different subphenotypes of isolated cleft palate. Materials/Methods The sample comprised 26 individuals with submucous cleft palate (group S) and 68 individuals with complete cleft palate (group C) aged between 9 and 12 years from a single centre. Panoramic radiographs were evaluated regarding the presence of dental anomalies of number in permanent teeth. Intergroup comparison was performed using chi-square tests (P < 0.05). Results Tooth agenesis was found in 34.61 and 36.76 per cent of group S and group C, respectively. The most commonly missing teeth were the maxillary second premolar, maxillary lateral incisor, and mandibular second premolar. Supernumerary teeth were found in none and 1.47 per cent of the individuals with submucous and complete cleft palate, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between groups for the frequency of tooth agenesis and supernumerary teeth. Limitations Only dental anomalies of number were evaluated. Conclusions/Implications Individuals with submucous and complete cleft palate showed similar prevalence for tooth agenesis and supernumerary teeth. Dental anomalies frequency seems not to be a discriminator for subphenotypes of cleft palate.

Surgical management in submucous cleft palate patients

Objectives The submucous cleft palate (SMCP) is considered to be the most subtle type of cleft palate. Early detection is important to allow on time intervention by speech therapy and/or surgical repair before the children already develop compensatory speech mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate at what time children with a SMCP present, to determine when children are operated, and to analyze the postoperative outcomes for in SMCP children. Patient and methods Medical records from 766 individuals registered in the cleft registry in the Wilhelmina’s Children’s’ Hospital, Utrecht, were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were children diagnosed with SMCP. The following data were collected: age at diagnosis, physical examination, age at surgery, surgical technique, speech therapy pre- and post-surgery, otitis media, secondary cleft surgery, family history, syndromes, and other anomalies. Results In total, 56 SMCP children were identified. The mean age of diagnosis was 44.0 months (range 0–150, SD = 37.0). In 48 children (85.7%), surgical intervention was performed (Furlow plasty, intravelar veloplasty, pharyngoplasty, or Furlow combined with buccal flap). Conclusion This retrospective study reconfirms that SMCP often presents late, even in a country with a modern healthcare system and adequate follow-up of all newborns by the so-called youth doctors in “children’s healthcare centers” up to the age of 4 years old. Almost 86% of patients ultimately needed palate surgery when SMCP was suspected. Clinical relevance Any child presenting with repeated episodes of otitis media, nasal regurgitation, or speech difficulties should have prompt consideration for SMCP as diagnosis.