Correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency with furlow palatoplasty.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the authors' experience with Furlow palatoplasty for velopharyngeal insufficiency.


METHODS
Review of 8 cases over a 3-year period.


METHODS
Regional private practice hospital affiliated with a teaching university.


METHODS
Eight patients aged 4 to 14 years with symptoms and signs of velopharyngeal insufficiency underwent Furlow palatoplasty. Four patients had submucous or soft palate clefts without previous intervention. Four patients had undergone previous surgery for cleft palate.


METHODS
All patients underwent Furlow palatoplasty.


METHODS
Fiberoptic nasopharyngeal examination and speech analysis.


RESULTS
Seven of 8 patients exhibited good palate closure and marked improvement in speech. One patient exhibited good closure but had mild nasal emission and hypernasality, which responded to speech therapy after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Furlow palatoplasty is a useful technique for the correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency in selected patients.
Lindsey
W H
WH
McLeod Regional Medical Center of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of the Pee Dee, Florence, SC.
Davis
P T
PT
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*