title: Clinical results of pharyngeal flap surgery: the Iowa experience.
abstract: Sixty-five patients with cleft palate, with or without cleft lip, who received previous pharyngeal flap surgery for chronic velopharyngeal dysfunction in our department, were examined for velopharyngeal status, speech production patterns, and evidence of nasal airway obstruction. Of the 65 subjects, 54 (83.1 percent) showed velopharyngeal function within normal limits, 43 (66.1 percent) showed normal or near-normal speech production, and 58 (89.2 percent) reported snoring sometimes or often. Of the 58 reporting snoring, electrocardiogram (ECG) data for 33 were examined for evidence of right ventricular hypertrophy. Only one (3 percent) of the 33 showed such possible indication. We conclude that by our methods, pharyngeal flap surgery is an effective treatment for velopharyngeal dysfunction. After surgery, patients may report symptoms of nasal airway obstruction during sleep but are not expected to show ECG changes in cardiac function resulting from oxygen deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bardach
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D012913:Snoring; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*