Velopharyngeal function for speech after the Frolova primary palatoplasty technique

Objective: This study was undertaken by several members of the University o f Florida Craniofacial Center to assess the results of palatoplasty perform ed by the method devised by Larisa Y, Frolova, M.D. in 1971. Design: The assessment was based on evaluation of each subject's speech and velopharyngeal function through perceptual measures, nasometry, and video- nasendoscopy, Setting: The study took place at the National Pediatric Center for Congenit al Maxillofacial Pathology, Moscow, Russia, under the auspices and with the cooperation of Dr. Frolova, director of the program. Subjects: One hundred twelve children (40 girls and 72 boys; age range, 4 t o 10 years; mean age, 7.5 years) with repaired cleft palate who had undergo ne palatoplasty 2 to 4 years earlier and had no secondary surgery were rand omly selected from the center's clinical files by the staff. Subjects with known conditions that could jeopardize normal speech development were exclu ded. Methods: Each subject was assessed for speech and velopharyngeal function w ith a battery of perceptual measures and videonasendoscopy, Results: The percentage of subjects judged to have normal resonance was 55. 5%, An additional 9.5% of the subjects judged to be hyponasal increased the rate of nonhypernasal outcome to 64%, Conclusions: The Furlow double-Z palatoplasty has had an increasing rate of success (up to 87%), whereas the Frolova technique has a success rate of o nly 55% to 65%.