Posterior pharyngeal augmentation in the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency: a 40-year experience.

BACKGROUND: Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) remains a common problem in the care of patients with cleft palate and other related conditions. It may be successfully corrected with augmentation of the posterior pharynx. The purpose of this study was to review the experience and results of posterior pharyngeal augmentation over a 40-year period at one cleft center in the United States. METHODS: All patients from 1968 to 2008 who underwent posterior pharyngeal augmentation for the treatment of VPI were reviewed retrospectively. Diagnosis, age at the time of operation, type of implant used, duration of follow-up, speech performance both pre- and postoperatively, and complications were analyzed. Speech performance preoperatively was assessed by video fluoroscopy and/or nasoendoscopy. Resonance was assessed by both the surgeon and speech pathologist using a 4 point grading scale. RESULTS: One hundred eleven patients underwent posterior pharyngeal augmentation. Thirteen patients required removal of the implant because of extrusion (n = 12) or postoperative sleep apnea (n = 1). Five patients with failed implants at the primary operation had successful replacement at a second operation, resulting in a retained implant success rate of 93%. Of the 103 patients who were successfully augmented, 15 were lost to follow-up, leaving 88 patients with full postoperative speech evaluations. Of the 88 patients evaluated, 64 exhibited normal or near normal speech (73%), 22 patients had mildly nasal speech (25%), and 2 patients (2%) were not improved. Highest extrusion rates were seen for smooth surface silicone and rolled gortex implants. CONCLUSION: Augmentation of the posterior pharyngeal wall is a safe and effective treatment for patients with VPI. Implants are well tolerated and speech is substantially improved.

Improving care transitions: complex high-utilizing patient experiences guide reform.

OBJECTIVES: Care management has been adopted by many health systems to improve care and decrease costs through coordination of care across levels. At our academic medical center, several care management programs were developed under separate management units, including an inpatient-based program for all patients and an outpatient-based program for complex, high-utilizing patients. To bridge administrative silos between programs, we examined longitudinal care experiences of hospitalized complex patients to identify process and communication gaps, drive organizational change, and improve care. STUDY DESIGN: This descriptive study analyzed the care experiences of 17 high-utilizing patients within the authors' health system. METHODS: Chart audits were conducted for 17 high-utilizing patients with 30-day hospital readmissions during 2013. Clinical and social characteristics were reviewed for patterns of care potentially driving readmissions. RESULTS: Patients had heterogeneous social factors and medical, psychological, and cognitive conditions. Care management interventions apparently associated with improvements in health and reductions in hospitalization utilization included movement to supervised living, depression treatment, and achievement of sobriety. Monthly case management meetings were restructured to include inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory care, and emergency department care managers to improve communication and process. During 2014 and 2015, hospital readmission rates were overall unchanged compared with base year 2013 among a comparable cohort of high-utilizing patients. CONCLUSIONS: Joint review of clinical characteristics and longitudinal care experiences of high-utilizing, complex patients facilitated movement of historically siloed care management programs from their focus along administrative lines to a longitudinal, patient-centered focus. Decreasing readmission rates among complex patients may require direct linkages with social, mental health, and substance use services outside the healthcare system and improved discharge planning.