Speech Outcomes After Palatal Lengthening Via Double Opposing Buccinator Myomucosal Flaps.

BACKGROUND: Palatal lengthening is becoming a first-line treatment choice for cleft patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). As cleft palate-related surgical outcomes are age dependent, speech outcomes may be similarly affected by patient age at the time of treatment. The primary goal of this study is to determine whether there are age-related speech outcome differences when double opposing buccinator myomucosal flaps are used as part of a palatal lengthening protocol and whether these outcome differences preclude utilization of this technique for specific patient age groups. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on consecutive nonsyndromic patients with VPI who underwent treatment using double opposing buccinator myomucosal flaps at our hospital between 2014 and 2021. Patients who completed the 15-month follow-up were stratified by age. Group A aged between 2 and 7 years (n = 14), group B aged 8 and 18 years (n = 23), and group C aged older than 18 years (n = 25) were included. Standardized perceptual speech evaluations and nasopharyngoscopy were performed. Hypernasality, soft palate mobility, and lateral palatal wall mobility were assessed both preoperatively and at a 15-month postoperative interval. Complications were also recorded. The χ2 test was used for statistical comparison. RESULTS: All of the age-stratified patient groups in this study showed significant improvement in hypernasality, soft palate mobility, and lateral wall mobility (P < 0.01), with no statistically significant differences between the different patient age groups. Overall speech success was achieved in 69.4% of patients. Patients in group A achieved 78.6% speech success, patients in group B achieved 78.3% speech success, and patients in group C achieved 56% speech success, with no statistically significant differences being shown regarding speech success between the different patient age groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of age, palatal lengthening via double opposing buccinator myomucosal flaps similarly improves speech outcomes.

Late Primary Palatoplasty in Skeletally Mature Patients: Obstacles and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: As the performance of late primary palatoplasty for skeletally mature patients remains controversial, there is little data available regarding speech outcomes for this patient population. The purpose of this study therefore is to identify and evaluate the impact of speech outcomes following late palate repair on skeletally mature patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 19 consecutive skeletally mature patients who underwent late primary palate repair between 2010 and 2018. Speech assessment was performed preoperatively, between 3 and 6 months postoperatively, and then after 6 months postoperatively. Levels for hypernasality, oral pressure, and audible nasal air emission were scored and recorded.Patients were stratified by age, gender, presence of postoperative fistula, and Veau cleft type, in order to determine the impact of each variable on final speech outcomes. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the preoperative speech assessment with the postoperative speech outcomes, and the Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze the impact of the above variables on final speech outcomes. RESULTS: Our data showed overall postoperative speech improvement for all tested variables. Patients without postoperative fistula presented better results in oral pressure than those patients with postoperative fistula (P < 0.05). None of the other tested variables presented a significant negative impact on speech outcomes. CONCLUSION: Late primary palatoplasty significantly improves speech outcomes for skeletally mature patients. Fistula has a negative impact on oral pressure.

Predictors of Speech Outcome in Posterior Pharyngeal Fat Graft Surgery for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Management.

BACKGROUND: The identification of variables potentially correlated with speech outcome, following posterior pharyngeal fat grafting for treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), can provide useful information to guide decision-making and preoperative counseling. This study assessed the predictors of speech outcome after posterior pharyngeal fat grafting for VPI management. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-seven consecutive patients with repaired cleft palate and VPI who underwent posterior pharyngeal fat grafting were retrospectively enrolled. Perceptual speech and nasendoscopic parameters were randomly rated by 3 blinded evaluators. Speech outcome was stratified based on previously published criteria. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of 15-month postoperative speech outcomes. RESULTS: Large velopharyngeal gap, higher number of previous palatal surgical procedures, and referral pattern (ie, patients who underwent primary palatoplasty elsewhere) were independently negative (for all, P < 0.05) predictors of speech outcome, whereas small velopharyngeal gap size was positively (P < 0.05) correlated with this outcome. Age, sex, race, Veau hierarchy, syndromic diagnosis, Angle classification of malocclusion, type of primary palatoplasty, body mass index, obstructive sleep apnea-related scores, surgical period, donor site, grafted volume, recipient site-related complications, and preoperative status (velopharyngeal closure pattern, hypernasality, audible nasal emissions, and intraoral pressure) were not associated (for all, P > 0.05) with speech outcomes. CONCLUSION: Posterior pharyngeal fat grafting improves speech function in patients with VPI, whereas gap size, number of previous palatal surgeries, and referral pattern affect the speech outcome.

Tailored Posterior Pharyngeal Fat Grafting Outcomes in Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Managed According to a Simplified Algorithm.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of posterior pharyngeal fat grafting for the management of velopharyngeal insufficiency using a simplified therapeutic algorithm and a tailored surgical technique. METHODS: This was a prospective study of consecutive nonsyndromic patients with repaired cleft palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency who were stratified according to a simplified algorithm (minimally scarred palate, transverse orientation of levator veli palatini, and pinhole-to-small velopharyngeal gaps) and who underwent tailored posterior pharyngeal fat grafting. The patients were screened for obstructive sleep apnea before and after surgery. Three blinded evaluators randomly rated perceptual speech (hypernasality, audible nasal emission, and intraoral pressure) and nasoendoscopic (velopharyngeal active gap size) characteristics using audio and video recordings. Successful speech outcome was defined as normal or borderline sufficient velopharyngeal function at 15 months after surgery. RESULTS: All included patients (n = 96) presented with a preoperative and postoperative low risk of obstructive sleep apnea. At 15 months after surgery, hypernasality (0.26 ± 0.53), audible nasal emissions (0.29 ± 0.48), intraoral pressure (0.1 ± 0.31), and velopharyngeal closure size (1.86 ± 0.34) were significantly decreased (all, P < 0.05) compared with the corresponding preoperative measurements (hypernasality, 2.17 ± 0.75; audible nasal emissions, 1.89 ± 0.82; intraoral pressure, 0.85 ± 0.35; and velopharyngeal closure size, 0.2 ± 0.49). In total, 84 (87.5%) patients showed successful speech outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Tailored posterior pharyngeal fat grafting is an effective and safe surgical strategy for the management of velopharyngeal insufficiency in a selected cohort of patients with repaired cleft palate.

Brazilian-Portuguese Linguistic Validation of the Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Effects on Life Outcome Instrument.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to conduct a linguistic validation of the velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) Effects on Life Outcome (VELO) instrument for use in Brazilian-Portuguese patients with VPI. METHODS: The original English version of the VELO instrument was translated into Brazilian-Portuguese, back-translated, and adapted among the Brazilian patients (n = 21) with VPI and their parents, based on the standardized guidelines for the cross-culture adaption process. Discrepancies in the forward and backward translation steps were computed. Comprehension rates were captured for each debriefing interview. The content validity index (CVI) per item (I-CVI) and of the scale (S-CVI universal agreement [S-CVI/UA] and averaging [S-CVI/Ave]) were calculated. RESULTS: Reconciliation of the 2 forward translations and the comparison between the back translation and the original VELO version resulted in some item wordings with discrepancies which were reviewed by the research team (translators, expert committee, and original developers of instrument). Three rounds of cognitive interviews also led to some revisions of wording. Comprehension rates of patients and their parents were 60% to 100%, 80% to 100%, and 100% in the first, second, and third rounds of cognitive interviews, respectively. The I-CVI, S-CVI/AU, and SCI/Ave for the Brazilian-Portuguese VELO version were 0.83 (or higher), 0.83 (or higher), and 0.97, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The linguistic validation process of the VELO instrument created a cross-culturally equivalent Brazilian-Portuguese version for use in Brazilian-Portuguese speaking patients with VPI.

Measuring Patient-Reported Health-Related Quality of Life in Velopharyngeal Insufficiency: Reliability and Validity of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the VELO Instrument.

OBJECTIVE: To test the Brazilian Portuguese velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) Effects on Life Outcome (VELO) instrument for reliability and validity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional methodological study. SETTING: Tertiary craniofacial medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Participants with VPI (VPI group, n = 60), with cleft and without VPI (no VPI/cleft group, n = 60), and with no cleft nor VPI (no VPI/no cleft group, n = 60) and their parents (n = 180). INTERVENTIONS: All patients with VPI 8+ years old and their parents completed the Brazilian-Portuguese VELO instrument and other questionnaires (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory4.0, PedsQL4.0; Pediatric Voice-Related Quality of Life, PVRQOL; and Intelligibility in Context Scale, ICS) at baseline; patients with VPI and their parents completed the VELO instrument again 2 weeks later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The VELO instrument was tested for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, discriminant validity (participants with VPI against participants with no VPI), concurrent validity against other questionnaires, criterion validity against hypernasality severity, and construct validity against nasal air emission and overall velopharyngeal competence (speech construct) and velopharyngeal gap (anatomic construct). RESULTS: The VELO had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α 0.99 for parents and 0.98 for participants with VPI) and test-retest reliability (all intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.87). The VELO discriminated well between VPI group and unaffected groups (all P < .05). The VELO was significantly correlated with the PedsQL4.0, PVRQOL, and ICS (-r > 0.75; P < .001). The VELO met criterion validity, speech construct validity, and anatomic construct validity (r > 0.7; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian-Portuguese VELO instrument demonstrated reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (discriminant, concurrent, criterion, and construct).

Buccinator myomucosal flap for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency in patients with cleft palate and/or lip / Buccinator myomucosal flap for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency in patients with cleft palate and/or lip

Abstract 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 patients with cleft palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency. Methods: Patients with repaired cleft palate (± lip) who were submitted to surgical correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency using the bilateral buccinator myomucosal flap were assessed. Hypernasality (scores 0 [absent], 1 [mild], 2 [moderate], or 3 [severe]) was analyzed by three evaluators by measuring the audiovisual records collected in early and late preoperative and postoperative periods (3 and 12 months, respectively). The values were considered significant for a 95% Confidence Interval (p < 0.05). Results: Thirty-seven patients with cleft palate (± lip) showing moderate (16.2%) or severe (83.8%) hypernasality in the preoperative period were included. Analyses of the late postoperative period showed that hypernasality (0.5 ± 0.7) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the hypernasality of the preoperative and recent postoperative periods (2.8 ± 0.4 and 1.7 ± 0.9, respectively). Conclusion: The buccinator myomucosal flap is effective in reducing/eliminating hypernasality in patients with cleft palate (± lip) and velopharyngeal insufficiency.

Resumo: Introdução: A interpretação dos resultados de fala obtidos com o retalho miomucoso do músculo bucinador no tratamento da insuficiência velofaríngea em pacientes fissurados tem sido limitada pela restrição do número de pacientes e do tempo de seguimento pós-operatório. Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito do retalho miomucoso do músculo bucinador sobre a hipernasalidade da fala no tratamento de pacientes fissurados com insuficiência velofaríngea. Método: Foram avaliados pacientes com fissura palatina (± lábio) reparada, com retalho miomucoso do músculo bucinador bilateral para a correção cirúrgica da insuficiência velofaríngea. A hipernasalidade (escores 0 [ausente], 1 [leve], 2 [moderada] ou 3 [severa]) foi analisada por três avaliadores por meio da mensuração dos registros audiovisuais coletados nos períodos pré-operatório e pós-operatórios recente e tardio (3 e 12 meses, respectivamente). Os valores foram considerados significativos para um intervalo de confiança de 95% (p < 0,05). Resultado: Foram incluídos 37 pacientes fissurados com hipernasalidade moderada (16,2%) ou severa (83,8%) no período pré-operatório. As análises do período pós-operatório tardio revelaram que a hipernasalidade (0,5 ± 0,7) foi significativamente (p < 0,05) menor do que a hipernasalidade dos períodos pré-operatório e pós-operatório recente (2,8 ± 0,4 e 1,7 ± 0,9; respectivamente). Conclusão: O retalho miomucoso do músculo bucinador é eficaz na redução/eliminação da hipernasalidade nos pacientes fissurados com insuficiência velofaríngea.

Electromyographic Activity of the Masseter and Temporal Muscles in Patients With Nonsyndromic Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: 2-Stage Versus 1-Stage Palate Repair.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the electromyographic activity of the masseter and temporal muscles in cleft patients who underwent 1-stage palate repair versus 2-stage palate repair. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with nonsyndromic complete unilateral cleft lip and palate operated by 2 different protocols for palate repair, 1-stage (group 1, n = 16) versus 2-stage with delayed hard palate closure (group 2, n = 16) were available in the retrospective longitudinal study. Standardized electromyographic records of the masseter and anterior portion of temporal muscles were obtained with 2 repetitions during mastication and rest. RESULTS: No statistically significant (all P > 0.05) differences were observed in the electromyographic data between the groups 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: There were similar electromyographic activity of masseter and temporal muscles during mastication and at rest after 1- and 2-stage palate closure.

Buccinator myomucosal flap for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency in patients with cleft palate and/or lip.

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 patients with cleft palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency. METHODS: Patients with repaired cleft palate (± lip) who were submitted to surgical correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency using the bilateral buccinator myomucosal flap were assessed. Hypernasality (scores 0 [absent], 1 [mild], 2 [moderate], or 3 [severe]) was analyzed by three evaluators by measuring the audiovisual records collected in early and late preoperative and postoperative periods (3 and 12 months, respectively). The values were considered significant for a 95% Confidence Interval (p<0.05). RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients with cleft palate (± lip) showing moderate (16.2%) or severe (83.8%) hypernasality in the preoperative period were included. Analyses of the late postoperative period showed that hypernasality (0.5±0.7) was significantly (p<0.05) lower than the hypernasality of the preoperative and recent postoperative periods (2.8±0.4 and 1.7±0.9, respectively). CONCLUSION: The buccinator myomucosal flap is effective in reducing/eliminating hypernasality in patients with cleft palate (± lip) and velopharyngeal insufficiency.

Bilateral buccinator myomucosal flap outcomes in nonsyndromic patients with repaired cleft palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess speech outcomes and complication rate in nonsyndromic repaired cleft palate patients undergoing bilateral buccinator myomucosal flaps for velopharyngeal insufficiency management. METHODS: A prospective study of consecutive repaired cleft palate patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency who underwent bilateral buccinator myomucosal flaps was conducted. Three experienced evaluators performed a blinded perceptual speech evaluation (hypernasality, audible nasal emission, and intraoral pressure). Successful speech outcome was defined as normal or borderline sufficient velopharyngeal function at 15 months postoperatively. Obstructive sleep apnea screening tools were applied preoperatively and postoperatively. Complication rate was also collected. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients were included. There were 11 (21%) surgical complications, with no complete flap loss, snoring, sleep disturbance, and/or mouth breathing. All patients presented low pre- and postoperative risk for obstructive sleep apnea. At 15 months postoperatively, hypernasality (0.4 ± 0.6), audible nasal emissions (0.2 ± 0.4), and intraoral pressure (0.1 ± 0.3) were significantly (all p < 0.05) lower than preoperative measurements (hypernasality: 2.7 ± 0.5; audible nasal emissions: 2.2 ± 0.8; and intraoral pressure: 0.9 ± 0.3). Forty-five (85%) patients presented successful speech outcome. CONCLUSION: The bilateral buccinator myomucosal flap is an effective and safe surgical strategy for the management of persistent velopharyngeal insufficiency.

Dissecção radical da musculatura do véu palatino em casos secundários de pacientes fissurados / Radical undermining of the soft palate muscles in secondary cleft patients

Objetivo: Demonstrar a eficácia do reposicionamento do músculo elevador do véu palatinoem pacientes portadores de fissura lábio-palatina anteriormente submetidos a palatoplastiapor outras técnicas. Método: Foram realizadas, 16 cirurgias de repalatoplastia posterior comdissecção radical da musculatura do véu palatino. A nasofibroscopia foi o instrumento demensuração da voz no período pré e pós-operatório, 3, 9 e 15 meses após a cirurgia. Duasfonoaudiólogas com experiência no tratamento do fissurado participaram na avaliação davoz nos períodos pré e pós-operatórios, sendo a hipernasalidade classificada em equilíbriooronasal, hipernasalidade leve, moderada e importante. O índice de Kappa foi utilizado paraavaliar o grau de concordância entre os observadores. O teste de igualdade proporcional foiutilizado com o objetivo de comparar as diferenças de voz no pré e pós-operatórios de 3,9 e 15 meses. O valor de p < 0,05 foi adotado para a significância estatística. Resultados:Seis pacientes eram do sexo masculino, com idade média de 17,93 anos. Houve uma boaconcordância entre as avaliadoras, sendo a menor de 76,6% (índice de Kappa). Com o retroposicionamentoda musculatura houve melhora no índice da hipernasalidade (p < 0,05),principalmente na hipernasalidade leve e moderada. Conclusão: Houve grande melhorado quadro da insuficiência velofaríngea após a dissecção radical, o que evidencia que talprocedimento é necessário e deve ser incluído no algoritmo dos protocolos em casos secundáriose preconiza-se que seja usado, também, em casos primários.

Objective: To demonstrate the efficacy of the muscular set back in secondary cases. Method:16 soft palate re-repair were performed with muscular set back. To evaluate the results of thesurgeries through the voice, nasal endoscopies were done pre and post operative (3, 9 and15 months). The results were evaluated by two speech pathologists specialized in cleft lipand palate patients. And the hypernasality was graded as equilibrium, mild, moderate andsevere. The Kappa index was used to evaluate the agreement between the two observers andthe equality of two proportion test gave the statistics significance, as p < 0.05. Results: Sixpatients were males. The mean age was 17.93 years. There was a good concordance betweenthe two evaluators. The least was 76.6% according to the Kappa index. With the retropositioningof the muscles` bundle there was an improvement in the velopharingeal insufficiency (p< 0.05) mainly in the mild and moderate cases. Conclusion: There was a great improvementin velopharingeal incompetence after radical muscle dissection, showing that this procedureis necessary and must be part of secondary palatoplasty protocols. And also must be usedduring primary soft palate repair.