title: Swallowing function after laryngeal cleft repair: more than just fixing the cleft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and describe the swallowing function in children after laryngeal cleft repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten-year (2002-2012) retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic tertiary care pediatric otolaryngology practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of 60 children who had surgical repair of laryngeal cleft (ages 2 weeks-14 years) and postoperative functional endoscopic evaluation of swallowing or videofluoroscopic swallow studies were examined retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine children had one postoperative swallow evaluation, 19 children had two, 4 children had three, 5 children had four, and 3 children had five. Median time to the first evaluation was 10.8 weeks (interquartile range [IQR]: 36.5, 231). On the final swallow evaluation, 34 (57%) children demonstrated normal swallowing parameters, 12 (20%) children showed penetration, and 14 (23%) children showed aspiration. Forty-three (72%) children were able to take everything by mouth normally or with minor behavioral modifications, 11 (18%) children required thickened fluids, and six (10%) children were kept nil per os (NPO). Mean improvement on the penetration-aspiration (pen-asp) scale was 2.13. On multivariable analysis, neurodevelopmental issues and gastronomy tube use were associated with the need for NPO status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite a high rate of surgical success, a substantial minority of children have persistent swallowing dysfunction after laryngeal cleft repair. Swallowing dysfunction after repair is multifactorial and arises from concomitant neurologic, anatomic, or other comorbidities that contribute to oropharyngeal and pharyngeal dysphagia. Based on our results, we recommend a testing schedule for postoperative swallowing evaluations after cleft repair.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Alarcon
authors.forename: Meredith E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tabangin
authors.forename: Claire K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Robin T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Cotton
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rutter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D003679:Deglutition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007830:Larynx / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: FEES; Laryngeal cleft; VFSS; VSS; swallowing