PRESSURE-FLOW DIFFERENCES IN PERFORMANCE DURING PRODUCTION OF THE CV SYLLABLES VERTICAL-BAR-PI-VERTICAL-BAR AND VERTICAL-BAR-PA-VERTICAL-BAR

Inconsistencies in velopharyngeal function were observed to have been reported in presure-flow reports. This article introduces our findings from a sample of pressure-flow records and discusses possible implica tions for management. A retrospective review of the pressure-flow reco rds for 51 patients was completed, All patients had been evaluated at the Craniofacial Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Records we re selected based on the following criteria: patients were referred fo r evaluation of velopharyngeal function and had no secondary surgeries on the velopharyngeal mechanism, no fistulae, no neurologic disorders , and no compensatory articulations, At the time of testing, patients ranged in age from 4 to 38 years with most being under 18 years of age , Velopharyngeal orifice areas were obtained using the pressure-flow t echnique during repeated CV syllables, including lpil and lpal, Our re sults show that 8 of 51 patients exhibited a specific type of inconsis tent velopharyngeal function (i.e., they exhibited velopharyngeal clos ing during lpal repetitions, but had openings during lpil repetitions) , The reverse finding was not observed among any of the 51 patients, W e concluded that the velopharyngeal incompetence observed during utter ances involving lil may have been due to the downward pull on the pala te of the palatoglossus muscle, which could not be counteracted by the already maximized levator activity in borderline patients.