Outcomes in pharyngoplasty: a 10-year experience.
OBJECTIVE
The outcomes of 61 patients who underwent a pharyngoplasty for velopharyngeal insufficiency were reviewed to determine potential risk factors for reoperation.


METHODS
This was a retrospective chart review of 61 consecutive patients over approximately 10 years (1993 to 2003). Variables analyzed included gender, cleft type, age at the time of pharyngoplasty, length of time between palate repair and pharyngoplasty, and associated syndromes.


METHODS
Of the 61 patients, 20 (34%) had a unilateral cleft lip and palate, 5 (8%) had a bilateral cleft lip and palate, 13 (21%) had an isolated cleft palate, 7 (11%) had a submucous cleft palate, and 16 (26%) were diagnosed with noncleft velopharyngeal insufficiency.


RESULTS
Of the 61 patients, 10 (16%) required surgical revision. No statistically significant difference was found among gender, cleft type, age at the time of pharyngoplasty, the length of time between palate repair and pharyngoplasty, and associated congenital syndromes, with respect to the need for surgical revision (p > .05). Of the surgical revisions, 50% (5) were performed for a pharyngoplasty that was placed too low.


CONCLUSIONS
Because 50% of the pharyngoplasty revisions had evidence of poor velopharyngeal closure and associated hypernasality resulting from low placement of the sphincter, the pharyngoplasty needs to be placed at a high level to reduce the risk for revisional surgery. The pharyngoplasty is a good operation for velopharyngeal insufficiency with an overall success rate of 84% (51 of 61) after one operation and greater than 98% (60 of 61) after two operations.
Pryor
Landon S
LS
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM)/Summa Health System, Akron, Ohio, USA.
Lehman
James
J
Parker
Michael G
MG
Schmidt
Anna
A
Fox
Lynn
L
Murthy
Ananth S
AS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery*; D019233:Retreatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013060:Speech; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*