title: [CT assist in surgical design for the posterior pharyngeal flap].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a method for assist design of the posterior pharyngeal flap (PPF).
  
  
  METHODS
  The width, length of velopharyngeal space in repose and phonation of "i" in 26 cases with VPI were measured with CT. The width and length of PPF needed, the location of the pedicle and the contact position with the soft palate were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The width of velopharyngeal space in repose ranged from 15.10 to 37.25 mm, with the average of 27.01 mm, the length was 12.54 to 30.39 mm, with the average of 22.10 mm. The width in phonation of "i" was 9.11 to 34.06 mm, with the average of 17.69 mm, the position of the pedicle wasall located at the level of the first cervical vertebra or above and the contact area of the flap with the soft palate was in the middle posterior 1/3 mostly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a method to quantitatively evaluate velopharyngeal function, CT can assist in design for the PPF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors.forename: Yu-sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei-liu
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Wen-hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Guo-min
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: You-sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery