QUALITY OF SPEECH CORRELATED TO CRANIOFACIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CLEFT-PALATE PATIENTS WITH THE PIERRE ROBIN-SEQUENCE

The present study aims at examining the relationship between cephalome tric craniofacial dimensions and speech performance in 30 young adult cleft palate patients with a Pierre Robin (PR) sequence. Speech was an alyzed from tape-recorded speech samples and by using nasalance measur ements. Veloparyngeal closure was assessed by using videonasendoscopy. Various cephalometric dimensions reflecting facial vertical height an d sagittal nasopharyngeal length were measured and compared to speech data. The results indicated that the sagittal bony nasopharyngeal dept h (AD(1)-PNS, AD(2)-PNS) is significantly related to speech impairment in terms of the need for velopharyngoplasty. After comparing the pres ent results to those obtained from patients with isolated deft palate without a PR sequence we concluded that the cleft patients with a PR s equence require more often velopharyngeal flaps to eliminate persistin g signs of velopharyngeal insufficiency.