Aa. Georgantopoulou et al., THE EFFECT OF SPHINCTER PHARYNGOPLASTY ON THE RANGE OF VELAR MOVEMENT, British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 49(6), 1996, pp. 358-362
The aim of this study was to assess the mobility of the soft palate fo
llowing sphincter pharyngoplasty in patients with velopharyngeal incom
petence of variable aetiology. Pre- and postoperative videotape record
ings of lateral view videofluoroscopy of 24 patients were retrospectiv
ely studied and compared with regard to the range of velar movement. T
racings of the velopharyngeal port were made on acetate paper directly
from the television monitor and absolute angle measurements were take
n. Analysis of the results showed a highly significant increase in the
range of palatal movement postoperatively. There was no evidence of c
orrelation between the magnitude of the increase and the postoperative
improvement in speech. The findings and their implications are discus
sed.