Veloplasty using the wave-line technique versus classic intravelar veloplasty.

Objective: A well-known problem in primary surgery of the soft palate is its shortness and the deficit of local soft tissue. This article introduces a modification of the primary intravelar veloplasty, allowing lengthening of the soft palate, and compares this alternative technique to the classic intravelar veloplasty.Method: The soft palate wave-line technique adds a wavy incision at the velar cleft margins to the intravelar veloplasty. In 24 patients with complete clefts of the palate, either the newly developed or classic technique was performed. Four years following primary surgery, speech performance and type of breathing were analyzed.Results: Even in wide clefts of the soft palate, repair was easily accomplished using the wave-line technique. Complete closure of the nasal, muscular, and oral layers was achieved, and no postoperative fistula was observed. An average lengthening of the soft palate of 56% (range 24% to 83%) was observed immediately following velar repair with the wave-line technique. Speech was significantly better in the wave-line group (p <.05). Furthermore, physiological breathing was observed more often in these patients.Conclusion: Primary repair of clefts of the soft palate using the wave-line technique is straightforward, safe, and easy. On the basis of the present results, this technique seems superior to the classic intravelar veloplasty.     

Primary intravelar vestibuloplasty--adaptation of surgical modification of the anatomical defect

Oro-nasal fistulae often occur after the primary closure of the hard and soft palate cleft and in particular at the junction between the hard and soft palate. This is the area where maximal tension is exerted during the intravelar veloplasty closure procedure. Six surgical modifications of the primary intravelar veloplasty technique are described and each is specifically adapted according to the existing anatomical form and defect of the cleft soft palate, so that the occurrence of an oro-nasal fistula may be prevented. The surgical procedures may be divided into two main groups, namely those which are based on a localized swivel flap and those where remote flaps are used.     

皮罗序列征患儿腭裂的改良手术治疗：12例临床分析

目的 探讨治疗皮罗序列征患儿腭裂安全、有效的功能性外科方案。方法 选择12例重度皮罗序列征腭裂患儿,腭裂修复术前,为纠正重度缺氧,均实行下颌骨牵张成骨。采用软腭不后退腭帆提肌重建的改良手术进行腭裂修复。结果 12例患皮罗序列征的腭裂患儿,经软腭不后退提肌重建的改良手术后,随访10~12个月,均获得了腭咽闭合功能恢复又不造成呼吸困难的临床效果。结论 对皮罗序列征的腭裂患儿进行腭裂修复手术,有别于一般的腭裂修复手术,应防止腭瓣后徙引起的呼吸窘迫。     

Intravelar veloplasty: surgical modification according to anatomical defect.

The patient is often left with an oro-nasal fistula after the intravelar veloplasty procedure for the primary closure of the hard and soft palate cleft. The junction between the hard and soft palate is submitted to maximal tension during this procedure and is where the fistula most often occurs. The primary intravelar veloplasty procedure is discussed and 7 surgical modifications are introduced. The aim of these modifications is the prevention of an oro-nasal fistula and each is specifically adapted according to the existing anatomical form and defect of the cleft palate. The surgical modifications are divided into 2 main groups: those based on localised swivel flaps and those based on distant flaps.     

A comparative study of prespeech vocalizations in two groups of toddlers with cleft palate and a noncleft group.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prelinguistic contoid (consonant-like) inventories of 14 children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (C-UCLP) at 13 months of age. The children had received primary veloplasty at 7 months of age and closure of the hard palate was performed at 3-5 years. The results of this investigation were compared to results previously reported for 19 children with cleft palate and 19 noncleft children at the age of 13 months. The children with clefts in that study received a two-stage palatal surgery. This surgical procedure was formerly used at our center and included closure of the lip and hard palate at 3 months of age and soft palate closure at 22 months of age. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: The participants were videorecorded in their homes during play with their mothers. The videotapes were transcribed independently by three trained speech pathologists. PATIENTS: Fourteen consecutive patients born with C-UCLP and no known mental retardation or associated syndromes served as subjects. RESULTS: The children who received delayed closure of the hard palate demonstrated a significantly richer variety of contoids in their prespeech vocalizations than the cleft children in the comparison group. Both groups of subjects with clefts had significantly fewer plosives in their contoid inventory than the noncleft group, and there was no difference regarding place of articulation between the group that received delayed closure of the hard palate and the noncleft group.     

Speech outcomes of early palatal repair with or without intravelar veloplasty in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate

We compared the early speech outcomes of 40 consecutive children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) who had been treated according to different 2-stage protocols: the Malek protocol (soft palate closure without intravelar veloplasty at 3 months; lip and hard palate repair at 6 months) (n = 20), and the Talmant protocol (cheilorhinoplasty and soft palate repair with intravelar veloplasty at 6 months; hard palate closure at 18 months) (n = 20). We compared the speech assessments obtained at a mean (SD) age of 3.3 (0.35) years after treatment by the same surgeon. The main outcome measures evaluated were acquisition and intelligibility of speech, velopharyngeal insufficiency, and incidence of complications. A delay in speech articulation of one year or more was seen more often in patients treated by the Malek protocol (11/20) than in those treated according to the Talmant protocol (3/20, p = 0.019). Good intelligibility was noted in 15/20 in the Talmant group compared with 6/20 in the Malek group (p = 0.010). Assessment with an aerophonoscope showed that nasal air emission was most pronounced in patients in the Malek group (p = 0.007). Velopharyngeal insufficiency was present in 11/20 in the Malek group, and in 3/20 in the Talmant group (p = 0.019). No patients in the Talmant group had an oronasal fistula (p < 0.001). All other outcomes were similar. Despite later closure of the soft and hard palate, early speech outcomes were better in the Talmant group because intravelar veloplasty was successful and there were no fistulas after closure of the hard palate in 2 layers.     

Tensor veli palatini muscle tension sling for eustachian tube function in cleft palate. Surgical technique and audiometric examination

The high incidence of middle ear effusion in cleft lip and/or palate infants and children led to the development of a tension sling for the tensor veli palatini muscle for better Eustachian tube function after intravelar veloplasty.--The surgical technique is outlined in this paper and an audiometric examination was conducted to determine the influence of this surgical modification, performed in the same procedure as the intravelar veloplasty, on the Eustachian tube function. The intra- and intergroup comparisons indicate that this surgical technique has a positive influence on the tube function.     

腭裂患儿咽鼓管功能障碍与中耳疾病的研究

目的 :探讨不同年龄组腭裂患儿咽鼓管功能障碍与中耳疾病的发病情况。方法 :对 121例腭裂患儿 ,242耳 ,分为早期腭帆修复组 (手术时平均年龄为 3 2个月 )与延迟腭帆修复组 (手术时平均年龄为 15个月 ) ,在术前、术后 1年进行耳镜 ,耳显微镜检查和鼓膜穿刺术或鼓膜切开术。结果 :两组患儿均有 90 %以上的中耳有病理性渗出 ,但延迟手术组患儿的中耳渗出向粘稠化 ,感染化转变 ,两组患儿中耳渗出情况在术后 1年明显好转。结论 :腭裂患儿应尽早作耳科相关检查 ,对病理性渗出的中耳 ,应置放鼓室平衡管 ,以消除负压和引流 ,早期的腭帆修复术对咽鼓管及中耳功能的恢复有明显的改善。     

Cephalometric evaluation of long-term craniofacial development in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients treated with delayed hard palate closure

This long-term cephalometric study aimed to evaluate the craniofacial development of patients with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate treated with a two-stage palatal closure, including delayed closure of the hard palate. Prediction models for cephalometric outcome at age 18 years were developed with the help of cephalometric values at 9 and 12 years. The objective need for surgery at age 18 was predicted from cephalometric values at age 9. Cephalograms of 43 consecutive patients with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate were analysed at 9, 12 and 18 years. The patient group showed a retrusive craniofacial growth pattern for the maxilla and mandible, and a rather vertical growth pattern for the lower face. Using multiple linear regression, for most cephalometric variables, 40-80% of the cephalometric values at early adulthood could be explained by cephalometric values at the ages of 9 and 12 years, and gender, or by the values at age 9 only and gender. Several cephalometric variables at age 9 (s-n-ss, s-n-pg, sss-ns-sms, sss-ns-pgs) were found to be significant predictors for the need for surgery at 18. The need for surgery at age 18 was correctly predicted from age 9 for 85% of the investigated patient group.     

One- or two-stage palate closure in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate: comparing cephalometric and occlusal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess facial growth and dentoalveolar development in two groups of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate. Primary surgical treatment differed in the timing of hard palate closure. DESIGN: Forty-three patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate were examined. Twenty-two patients underwent early one-stage closure of the hard and soft palate cleft (mean age 23.0 +/- 4.7 months); in 21 patients, the hard palate closure was delayed to 86.3 +/- 39.2 months of age. Lateral cephalograms and dental casts were consecutively analyzed at four stages between 6 and 18 years of age. RESULTS: Lateral cephalometric analysis revealed no significant intergroup differences in the sagittal and vertical craniofacial dimensions at any time. Dental cast analysis showed constriction of the upper anterior arch width at the ages of 6 and 10 years in patients with one-stage surgical palate closure, but a difference could no longer be verified at the ages of 15 and 18 years. CONCLUSIONS: The transverse distances in the upper jaw developed initially more positively in the group with delayed hard palate closure, but it became apparent later that the transverse deficiency after one-stage palate closure could be compensated for. When considering surgical treatment in general, the advantages of the delayed hard palate closure must be weighed against criteria favoring the early one-stage closure of the hard and soft palate.     

Asymmetrical soft palate cleft repair: Preliminary results

The reconstructions of the asymmetrical soft palate cleft is a surgical challenge when it comes to achieving symmetry and optimal soft palate muscular function. Three different versions of the intravelar veloplasty have been used: the intravelar veloplasty (1969) (type I), the modification according to anatomical defects (1991) (type II), and the modification using part of Sommerlad's technique and part of Ivanov's technique (2008) (type III). The perioperative outcomes of the type II and type III intravelar veloplasty were assessed and compared in asymmetrical cleft cases. Two hundred and seventy-seven soft palate clefts were reconstructed: 153 type II and 124 type III. Of these, 49 were asymmetrical (17.7%); 23 underwent the type II procedure and 26 the type III procedure. Of the type II procedure cases, 30.4% remained asymmetrical postoperatively compared to 3.8% of the type III cases. The uvula appeared subjectively atrophic in 47.8% of the type II cases and in 7.7% of type III cases. Oro-nasal fistula occurred in 13.0% of the type II cases and 3.8% of the type III cases. Speech results will only be assessed after 4 years of age. The type III modified intravelar veloplasty has had a major beneficial impact on patients who had an asymmetrical soft palate cleft.     

Craniofacial morphological outcome following treatment with three different surgical protocols for complete unilateral cleft lip and palate: a premilinary study

This study compared craniofacial morphology between three groups of children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate, treated with different surgical protocols. The study included 66 10-year-old children (42 boys and 20 girls) with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (22 patients in each of the three groups). Children aged 7 months underwent one-stage surgery, performed by a single surgeon. During surgery, the soft and hard palate and the lip underwent correction. The difference between the groups depended on the hard palate closure. Group I patients had the mucoperiosteal flap elevated on both sides of the cleft. Group II patients had the mucoperiosteal flap elevated on the non-cleft side, and had only a minimal 2–3 mm mucoperiosteal flap elevated on the cleft side. Group III patients had mucoperiostium elevated from the septum vomer to create a single-layered caudally pedicled flap, and had only a minimal 2–3 mm palatal flap elevated on the cleft side. Craniofacial morphology was defined using lateral cephalometric analysis. Significant craniofacial morphological differences were identified between groups I, II and III. Group III demonstrated the most favourable morphology. This indicates that the technique of hard palate closure has significant influence on craniofacial growth and development.     

Modifying the two-stage cleft palate surgical correction.

OBJECTIVE: This paper reports the experience with a two-stage approach to surgical correction of the complete cleft palate, wherein timing of the second stage is dependent on the judgment of the speech pathologist and the orthodontist together with the surgeon. PATIENTS: Of a total of 35 patients having complete unilateral clefts a sample of 22 were available for postsurgical assessment. The first-stage repair of the palate was carried out at an average age of 10.7 months (range 6 to 17 months), and the second-stage repair of the residual cleft was completed at an average age of 32.7 months (range 26 to 34 months). INTERVENTIONS: The first-stage repair of the soft palate defect involved mobilizing two short posteriorly based flaps, which extend onto the posterior quarter of the hard palate thus including up to 1 cm of mucoperiosteum. Careful freeing of the muscle is followed by an intravelar veloplasty. The later closure of the residual cleft involved turnover hinge flaps and small mucoperiosteal flaps. RESULTS: Eighty-seven percent of the sample had good to excellent speech as assessed by the Great Ormond Street screening method. Only two patients showed evidence of recessive maxillae with Class III malocclusions. CONCLUSIONS: A two-stage surgical closure of the palate using this procedure would appear to confer several valuable advantages to the patient. These include favorable outcomes for speech in the large majority of cases and minimal adverse effects on the growth of the midface region.     

Mandible, tongue, and airway in Pierre Robin sequence: a longitudinal cephalometric study.

The purpose of this retrospective longitudinal cephalometric study was to analyze size, growth, and relations of the mandible, tongue, and airway in the isolated, nonsyndromic Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) infant. The objective was to understand better the early morphologic changes that occur in these structures. The data were obtained from lateral cephalometric radiographs taken in the first 2 years of life on 17 PRS infants, 26 isolated cleft palate (CP), and 26 normal control (N) infants. Mean values of each variable were compared using a univariate analysis of variance. A multivariate discriminant function analysis (DFA) was also used to characterize group differences. The three groups were distinct throughout the period of study. Differences were greater at the earliest age and the distinction was greater between the PRS and N infants with the CP infant in between, but having more similarity to the PRS infant. Initially, the PRS infant had a shorter tongue and mandibular length, narrower airway, smaller tongue area and the hyoid position was more posterior and inferior as compared to N. The tongue shape and position were specific to the PRS infants. This group distinction diminished with age and resulted from an increased mandibular growth rate in the PRS infant. These findings support the hypothesis of "partial mandibular catch-up growth" in the PRS infant. The increased growth rate in the PRS infant improved the airway dimension, which might be partly responsible for the natural resolution of the respiratory distress. This increased growth rate did not allow for the various structures to reach values equal to normal.     

Early postnatal development of the mandible in children with isolated cleft palate and children with nonsyndromic Robin sequence.

OBJECTIVE: Analysis of early postnatal mandibular size and growth velocity in children with untreated isolated cleft palate (ICP), nonsyndromic Robin sequence (RS), and a control group of children with unilateral incomplete cleft lip (UICL). MATERIAL: 114 children (66 isolated cleft palate, 7 Robin sequence, 41 unilateral incomplete cleft lip) drawn from a group representing all Danish cleft children born from 1976 through 1981. All children were examined at both 2 and 22 months of age. METHODS: Cephalometric x-rays and maxillary plaster casts. Mandibular length and height were measured and mandibular growth velocity (mm/year) was calculated. Cleft width was measured on the casts at 2 months of age. RESULTS: Mean mandibular length and posterior height were significantly smaller in isolated cleft palate and Robin sequence, compared with unilateral incomplete cleft lip. Mandibular length in Robin sequence was also significantly shorter, compared with isolated cleft palate. No significant difference was found between mean mandibular growth velocities in the three groups. No significant correlation was found between mandibular length and cleft width in either isolated cleft palate or Robin sequence at 2 months of age. CONCLUSION: The children with isolated cleft palate and Robin sequence had small mandibles shortly after birth, but with a relatively normal growth potential. No true mandibular catch-up growth was found up to 22 months of age in either group. No significant correlation was found between mandibular size and cleft width in either group at 2 months of age. However, there was a significant trend toward the shorter the mandible, the more severe the sagittal extension of the cleft.     

Intravelar veloplasty in cleft lip, alveolus and palate and outcome of speech and language acquisition: a prospective study

Background: Speech and language acquisition are major, important criteria in the treatment outcomes of cleft lip and palate patients. A generally accepted and definitive treatment protocol regarding surgical techniques and the time schedule does not yet exist. In the world literature, there are reports of velo-pharyngeal insufficiency rates between 7 and 30%.Purpose: In a prospective study, all children aged months with cleft lip, alveolus and palate, or cleft palate only, underwent an intravelar veloplasty. Follow-up monitoring consisted of frequent clinical linguistic checks and supervision of language development without a planned intention of articulation therapy before the age of about 5 years.Results: Three hundred and ninety-seven children with non-syndromic clefts were included in this study, the youngest being 8-year old. Sixty children (15%) showed deviations in language and speech acquisition. From these, 56 (14%) had received articulation therapy after the 5th birthday. From these 56 children, 45 had overcome their problems with speech therapy alone whereas 11 (3%) needed a velo-pharyngeoplasty.Discussion: Although these results are much better than those reported in other cohorts, some children still have velo-pharyngeal incompetence for no apparent reason. One possible explanation might be surgical, since on occasions, the intravelar muscle bundle is divided into two parts and the palato-pharyngeal part runs isolated more laterally and can be missed during reconstruction and retropositioning.     

Predictors of speech outcomes in children with Pierre Robin sequence

Backgound

Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) has worse speech outcomes than isolated cleft palate. We aimed to search for possible associations of phonological outcomes with PRS status (isolated vs syndromic), clinical severity, soft palate muscles deficiency, or surgical procedure.

Craniofacial growth in unilateral cleft lip and palate: skeletal growth from eight to eighteen years

Sixteen individuals with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) were evaluated for determination of several craniofacial dimensional means and growth rates. Each had undergone primary lip and palatal closure and alveolar bone grafting. Serial cephalographs from ages 8 to 18 years, taken every 2 years, were utilized for determination of six cephalometric dimensions: anterior cranial base, upper and lower facial heights, posterior nasomaxillary height, maxillary horizontal length, and mandibular length. These were then compared to published cephalometric standards of a nonclefted group. All dimensions, except mandibular length, were smaller in the UCLP group. The horizontal maxillary length was the most diminished in mean length and growth rate; it appears to be most affected in UCLP. The remaining dimensions and growth rates are affected by UCLP, but to a lesser degree. These findings indicated that individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate are primarily and adversely affected by clefting (and the surgery as described) in the horizontal maxilla, both in dimension and growth rate.     

Mandibular morphology and spatial position in patients with clefts: intrinsic or iatrogenic?

Lateral cephalometric films of operated (Op) and non-operated (Nop) patients with cleft lip and alveolus, cleft lip and palate or cleft palate only, were compared to determine whether the shape or position of the mandible is affected by lip and/or palate surgery. The sample included 204 adult cleft patients, Caucasians of both sexes with one of the following three cleft types: complete unilateral lip and alveolus (n = 50), complete unilateral lip and palate (n = 68), and isolated palate (n = 86). The comparison involved 113 cleft patients operated at the conventional timing and 91 cleft patients who had received no surgical or orthodontic treatment. Comparison was done in order to ascertain if the surgery performed had had any influence upon mandibular growth. The results indicated that, in all three cleft types, the surgery did not induce significant changes in the mandibular growth.     

Facial growth following pharyngeal flap surgery: skeletal assessment on serial lateral cephalometric radiographs

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pharyngeal flap surgery on subsequent facial growth in patients with cleft lip and/or palate. Pharyngeal flap surgery is used in such patients to partially obliterate the velopharyngeal port, reducing hypernasal speech. Thirty-four patients (18 with cleft palate only, 16 with unilateral cleft lip and palate) were selected from the longitudinal growth study of the H.K. Cooper Clinic. Seventeen of these (9 with cleft palate only, 8 with unilateral cleft lip and palate) underwent pharyngeal flap surgery between the ages of 5 and 7 years. The other seventeen patients did not undergo pharyngeal flap surgery and served as a control group for this study. Serial lateral cephalometric radiographs were traced and digitized (ages 3 to 5, preflap; ages 7-10, postflap). Fourteen skeletodental measurements (six angular, six linear, two derived) were taken to determine whether pharyngeal flap surgery may be related to subsequent facial growth changes. The data from the 17 flap patients were compared with control data taken from the other seventeen patients. The groups were matched for sex, cleft type, and similarity of presurgical mandibular growth direction (facial axis angle). Results obtained demonstrate several significant areas of change following flap surgery, including a decrease in facial axis angle, an increase in Frankfort-mandibular plane angle, an increase in incremental gains in lower anterior face height, and increased retroclination of upper and lower incisors in the flap group as compared to their matched controls.