Long-term effect of pharyngeal flap surgery on craniofacial and nasopharyngeal morphology in patients with cleft palate

Abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by Dr Trevor Watts

Abstract

There were differences in airway dimension 10–20 years later, but apparently without airway obstruction.

Main

Heliövaara A, Haapanen M-L et al. Acta Odont Scand 2003; 61: 159–163

In 48 consecutive patients who had received pharyngeal flap surgery for isolated cleft palate, a comparison was made some 10–20 years later between 12 who had received velopharyngeal flaps (VPF+ group) and the remainder who had not (VPF−). Subsequent orthodontic treatment was given to 90% of patients, but none had orthognathic surgery.

Standardized cephalograms showed that VPF+ patients had significantly greater mean nasopharyngeal airway dimensions at the upper level of the nasopharynx (24.8 mm v. 21.7 mm for VPF−), and significantly lower mean oropharyngeal dimensions at the lower level of the oropharynx (VPF+: 11.6; VPF−: 14.9). Surgery in the VPF+ group produced velopharyngeal competence in 7 subjects. No long-term symptoms of sleep apnoea or snoring were found in any patients. There were no significant differences in craniofacial dimensions.