Soft Palate Mucosal Adhesion with Muscle Release: An Option in "Wide" Cleft Palates in a Cohort in Southern Africa.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of speech outcomes in 2 similar groups of "wide" cleft palate. One received a Furlow double-opposing Z- plasty (FZP) versus a group (non-FZP) that received only a muscle release at the second stage after both received a soft palate mucosal adhesion (SPA) at the first stage. METHODS: Retrospective review. Thirty-three patients (non-FZP) versus 29 patients (FZP) between 2010 and 2016. Both groups had SPA at approximately 6 months of age. After 12 months, an FZP with hard palate closure was performed in the FZP group. in the non-FZP group, only the muscle was released from the posterior palatal shelves with hard palate closure. Speech and velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPi) were determined clinically and by videofluoroscopy. RESULTS: The FZP group (15 M: 14 F) with Veau (III = 14; IV = 5; II = 10) had a mean palate length (MPL) of 20.5 mm and mean palate width (MPW) of 11.2 mm at 8.3 months. MPW decreased to 7 mm after 20.7 months. 21% (n = 6) had fistulae. 14% (n = 4) (all males) had VPI. Their MPL was 16.3 mm. The mean follow-up was 5.5 years. In the non-FZP group, (18 M: 15 F) with Veau (III = 22; IV = 7; II = 4), the MPL was 20.5 mm and MPW was 11 mm at 8.4 months. MPW decreased to 6.5 mm after 12.5 months (P = 0.006). The fistula rate was 18% (n = 6). 24% (n = 8) predominantly male (87%) had VPI (P = 0.432). Their MPL was 17 mm; the mean follow-up was 4.7 years. CONCLUSIONS: SPA as a first stage performed in "wide" cleft palate narrows the subsequent hard palate repair and with a muscle release, may be adequate in some patients.

Autologous Fat Grafting for the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Velopharyngeal Insufficiency.

BACKGROUND: To assess speech results following the treatment of mild to moderate velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) post cleft palate surgery with autologous fat grafting to the velopharynx. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 9 consecutive patients who underwent velopharyngeal fat grafting for the treatment of VPI at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's hospital from 2010 to 2014. All the patients previously had primary palatoplasty performed and subsequently developed VPI. Patients were assessed pre- and postoperatively by an experienced speech and language therapist looking at perceptual speech and by 2 senior cleft surgeons interpreting lateral view videofluoroscopies. RESULTS: Eleven fat grafting procedures were performed on 9 patients and an average of 5.64 mL (range 1-7 mL) of autologous fat was transferred to the velopharynx. The average age at the time of operation was 6.5 years (range 3-14 years) with a follow-up period of 18 months (range 7-34 months). Most of the patients (7 out of 9) showed improved speech after fat grafting. One of the 7 patients had multiple procedures. The 2 who did not show speech improvement only had a single procedure. There were no complications related to the fat grafting procedure. CONCLUSION: This small study suggests that fat grafting either as a single procedure or as multiple procedures is an effective, safe, minimally invasive surgical alternative, and/or adjunct for the treatment of mild to moderate VPI in patients following cleft palate surgery and to the knowledge, is the first reported study from Africa.

International practice of laryngectomy rehabilitation interventions: a perspective from South Africa.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review reflects on the experience of speech rehabilitation of laryngectomees at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town and expands on ways of dealing with the challenges that practising in a developing world setting presents. RECENT FINDINGS: Postlaryngectomy speech rehabilitation is unavailable in most African countries because of a profound shortage of speech and language therapists, otolaryngologists, and trained head and neck surgeons, as well as fiscal limitations. This article presents our recent tracheoesophageal speech results; discusses the employment of early postlaryngectomy feeding, selection criteria for patients for tracheoesophageal speech, the choice of voice prosthesis, follow-up care of patients coming from afar; and presents the results of a comparative study of the efficacy of different methods of airway humidification. SUMMARY: Our data and experience illustrate that excellent postlaryngectomy speech results can be achieved in a developing world setting by a dedicated team comprising speech and language therapists and otolaryngologists, that early postlaryngectomy feeding is well tolerated, and that a simple cotton cloth stoma cover is as effective as more expensive heat moisture exchange devices.

Tracheoesophageal speech in a developing world community.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the tracheoesophageal speech results in a Third World medical practice; to examine the impact of socioeconomic status, literacy, and proximity to specialist services on tracheoesophageal speech; to assess whether these factors should affect patient selection for fistula speech; and to determine guidelines for voice prosthesis selection. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, which serves a Third World community. PATIENTS: Ninety-seven consecutive patients who underwent total laryngectomy between January 1, 1996, and October 1, 1998. Patients who undergo total laryngectomy routinely have a primary tracheoesophageal fistula created for speech. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Speech outcomes after total laryngectomy; tracheoesophageal speech in relation to social class, literacy, and proximity to specialist services; and experience with removable and indwelling valves. RESULTS: Fifty-nine (81%) of 73 patients acquired useful speech. Speech outcome was not affected by employment status or proximity to specialist services. Although speech was affected by literacy and housing, several illiterate shack dwellers acquired good speech. Average device life of removable prostheses was 16 weeks (>4 months in 35% [64/183]). Indwelling prostheses had an average life of 28 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheoesophageal speech results in a Third World community equate with those in the Developed World. All patients who undergo laryngectomy and have adequate manual dexterity and cognitive function should be given a trial of fistula speech. Removable voice prostheses can successfully be used as indwelling prostheses.