title: Superiorly Based Pharyngeal Flap for the Surgical Treatment of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency and Speech Outcomes.
abstract: A retrospective chart review comparing pre and postoperative speech in 19 patients who underwent pharyngeal flap surgery for the diagnosis of velopharyngeal insufficiency. Eighteen of the patients had a history of cleft palate. Patients were assigned a speech grade between 1 and 5 based on the objective and subjective quality of their speech. Comparison of pre and postoperative speech showed significant improvement in speech quality from a mean grade of 3.37 to 2.00 (P < 0.001). This study demonstrates that a wide, superiorly based pharyngeal flap did lead to significant improvement in speech outcomes in this group of patients independent of gender or age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
authors.forename: Cori
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Konofaos
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult