Yf. Ren et al., VELOPHARYNGEAL INCOMPETENCE AND PERSISTENT HYPERNASALITY AFTER ADENOIDECTOMY IN CHILDREN WITHOUT PALATAL DEFECT, The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal, 32(6), 1995, pp. 476-482
Persistent hypernasal speech after adenoidectomy has been reported in
children with palatal deficiency Hypernasality after adenoidectomy can
also occur in children with normal palatal function, The aim of the p
resent study was to identify the cause of velopharyngeal incompetence
and hypernasality after adenoidectomy in children who did not have pal
atal defect as a predisposing factor, Sixteen children who developed h
ypernasality after adenoidectomy were included in the present study, S
tandard lateral cephalometry, videofluoroscopy, and nasopharyngoscopy
were performed to visualize the velopharynx and its function during sp
eech, The results showed that enlarged tonsils and prominent remaining
adenoid tissue on the posterior pharyngeal wall were the causes of hy
pernasality in these children, Incomplete removal of the adenoid tissu
e should be avoided and enlarged tonsils should be removed at the time
of adenoidectomy to prevent the risk for postoperative hypernasality.