SURGICAL-CORRECTION OF VELOPHARYNGEAL INSUFFICIENCY WITH AND WITHOUT COMPENSATORY ARTICULATION

The final speech outcome in cleft palate patients depends on two eleme nts: normalization of nasal resonance and correction of compensatory a rticulation (CA). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate whether early surgical correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) may de crease total time of speech therapy (ST) necessary to completely elimi nate CA. A group of 29 cleft palate patients in which VPI and CA were demonstrated, were selected for the study group. Fourteen patients wer e randomly selected and underwent surgical correction of VPI as soon a s placement of articulation during isolated speech was normal. The oth er 15 patients underwent speech therapy aimed to correct CA, these pat ients were followed until articulation was normal during connected spe ech. At this point in time they underwent surgical correction of VPI a s the other 14 patients. Success rate for correcting VPI after the ope ration was not significantly different for both groups. Furthermore, t otal time of ST was not significantly different for both groups. It is concluded that normalization of nasal resonance before articulation i s corrected during connected speech does not seem to reduce total time of ST necessary to completely correct CA in cleft palate patients.