Neurological Development of Children With Isolated Robin Sequence Treated With Nasopharyngeal Intubation in Early Infancy.

The study assessed the neurodevelopment of children with isolated Robin sequence (IRS) and evaluated if children treated exclusively with nasopharyngeal intubation (NPI) present delay in neurological development. The prospective and cross-sectional study was conducted at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, Brazil. Children with IRS were divided into two groups according to the type of treatment in early infancy: 38 were treated with NPI (more severe cases) and 24 with postural treatment (less severe cases). Regarding interventions, children were assessed at 2 to 6 years of age using the Denver II Developmental Screening Test (Denver II) and Neurological Evolutionary Examination (NEE). According to Denver II, 73.7% in the NPI group and 79.2% in the postural group presented normal development. This result was similar to the results of different studies in the literature with typical population. Considering all areas of development, there were no significant differences in Denver II between the NPI and postural groups (P = .854). In the NPI group, 89.5% of children and 87.5% in the postural group presented normal development in NEE. Language was the most affected area, as 18.4% and 20.8% of children in NPI and postural group, respectively, presented risk for delay in the Denver II. The increased risk for delay in language area was probably due to anatomical conditions of the muscles involved in speech, and to hearing oscillations, as 47.4% in NPI group and 58.3% in postural group underwent myringotomy. IRS treated with NPI had neurological development similar to those in less severe cases. Children treated exclusively with NPI did not present delay in neurological development.

Assessment of speech nasality in children with Robin Sequence.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of primary palatoplasty in Robin Sequence (RS); to verify the relationship between modalities of assessment of nasality; to compare nasality between techniques at palatoplasty. METHODS: This study involved the identification of hypernasality in four modalities: live assessment with 4-point scale; live assessment with cul-de-sac test; multiple listeners' ratings of recorded phrase; nasometric assessment. Live ratings of speech nasality and nasalance scores were retrieved from charts, while a recorded phrase was rated by listeners for occurrence of hypernasality. Agreement between the modalities was established as well as association between nasality, nasal turbulence and age at surgery and at assessment. Fisher's exact test was used to compare findings between surgical techniques. RESULTS: Agreement between nasalance, live assessment with 4-point scale, live assessment with cul-de-sac, and multiple listeners' ratings of recorded samples ranged between reasonable (0.32) and perfect (1.00). Percentage occurrence of hypernasality varied largely between assessment modalities. Mean occurrence of hypernasality was lower for the group submitted to Furlow technique (26%) than the group that received von Langenbeck technique (53%). Only findings obtained live were statistically significant (scale: p=0.012; cul-de-sac: p<0.001). Listeners identified nasal turbulence for 22 (32%) samples out of the 69 recordings, and an association was found between hypernasality and nasal turbulence. CONCLUSION: Lower occurrence of hypernasality was identified for patients with RS in Furlow group. Identification of hypernasality varied largely among the four assessment modalities.

Assessment of speech nasality in children with Robin Sequence / Avaliação da nasalidade de fala em crianças com Sequência de Robin

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of primary palatoplasty in Robin Sequence (RS); to verify the relationship between modalities of assessment of nasality; to compare nasality between techniques at palatoplasty. METHODS: This study involved the identification of hypernasality in four modalities: live assessment with 4-point scale; live assessment with cul-de-sac test; multiple listeners' ratings of recorded phrase; nasometric assessment. Live ratings of speech nasality and nasalance scores were retrieved from charts, while a recorded phrase was rated by listeners for occurrence of hypernasality. Agreement between the modalities was established as well as association between nasality, nasal turbulence and age at surgery and at assessment. Fisher's exact test was used to compare findings between surgical techniques. RESULTS: Agreement between nasalance, live assessment with 4-point scale, live assessment with cul-de-sac, and multiple listeners' ratings of recorded samples ranged between reasonable (0.32) and perfect (1.00). Percentage occurrence of hypernasality varied largely between assessment modalities. Mean occurrence of hypernasality was lower for the group submitted to Furlow technique (26%) than the group that received von Langenbeck technique (53%). Only findings obtained live were statistically significant (scale: p=0.012; cul-de-sac: p<0.001). Listeners identified nasal turbulence for 22 (32%) samples out of the 69 recordings, and an association was found between hypernasality and nasal turbulence. CONCLUSION: Lower occurrence of hypernasality was identified for patients with RS in Furlow group. Identification of hypernasality varied largely among the four assessment modalities. .

OBJETIVO: Reportar os resultados da palatoplastia primária na Sequência de Robin (SR); verificar a relação entre modalidades de avaliação da nasalidade; comparar nasalidade entre técnicas na palatoplastia. MÉTODOS: Este estudo envolveu a identificação da hipernasalidade em quatro modalidades: avaliação ao vivo com escala de quatro pontos; avaliação ao vivo com teste cul-de-sac; julgamento de gravações por juízes e avaliação nasométrica. Julgamentos ao vivo da nasalidade e escores de nasalância foram obtidos em prontuários, enquanto uma frase gravada foi julgada por juízes para ocorrência de nasalidade. Concordância entre as quatro modalidades foi estabelecida assim como associação entre nasalidade, turbulência nasal e idades na cirurgia e na avaliação. Teste exato de Fisher foi usado para comparar achados entre as técnicas cirúrgicas. RESULTADOS: A concordância entre nasalância, avaliação ao vivo com escala de quatro pontos e com teste cul-de-sac e julgamentos de gravações por juízes variou entre razoável (0,32) e perfeita (1,00). Porcentagem de ocorrência de hipernasalidade variou muito entre as diferentes modalidades. Ocorrência média de hipernsalidade no grupo operado com técnica de Furlow foi menor (26%) do que no grupo que recebeu a técnica de von Langenbeck (53%). Somente os resultados avaliados ao vivo foram estatisticamente significantes (escala: p=0,012; cul-de-sac: p<0,001). Juízes ouviram turbulência nasal em 22 (32%) das 69 gravações e uma associação entre hipernasalidade e turbulência nasal foi encontrada. CONCLUSÃO: Ocorrência de hipernasalidade foi menor para os pacientes com SR que receberam a técnica de Furlow. Identificação da hipernasalidade variou grandemente entre as quatro modalidades de avaliação. .

Clinical and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing in Robin sequence treated with nasopharyngeal intubation: the importance of feeding facilitating techniques.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate oral feeding capacity, the swallowing process, and risk for aspiration, both clinically and during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, in infants with isolated Robin sequence treated exclusively with nasopharyngeal intubation and feeding facilitating techniques. DESIGN: Longitudinal and prospective study. SETTING: Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil. PATIENTS: Eleven infants with isolated Robin sequence, under 2 months of age, treated with nasopharyngeal intubation. INTERVENTIONS: Feeding facilitating techniques were applied in all infants throughout the study period. The infants were evaluated clinically and through fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing at first, second, and, if necessary, third week of hospitalization (T1, T2, T3). The mean volume of ingested milk was registered during clinical evaluation, and events were registered during feeding. RESULTS: The respiratory status of all infants was improved after nasopharyngeal intubation; 72% of them presented risk for aspiration during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing at T1. This risk was less frequent when thickened milk was given to the infants and at subsequent evaluations (T2 and T3). CONCLUSIONS: Nasopharyngeal intubation aids in stabilizing the airway in isolated Robin sequence, but it does not relate directly to feeding. The risk for aspiration was present in most of the infants, mainly during the first week of hospitalization, and improved within a few weeks, after the use of feeding facilitating techniques.