Autologous fat transplantation to the velopharynx for treating mild velopharyngeal insufficiency: A 10-year experience.

BACKGROUND: For the last two decades, autologous fat transplantation has been used to treat mild velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI); however, there is still disagreement about its effectiveness. The aim of the study was to evaluate the procedure by using speech analysis and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study of 47 non-syndromic patients with mild VPI who underwent autologous fat transplantation to the velopharynx between 2006 and 2015. Thirty-two patients had a cleft palate, all of which had been repaired before fat transplantation. Eight patients developed VPI after adenotonsillectomy, one after uvulo-palatoplasty and six had VPI of unknown etiology. Twelve patients underwent two procedures of fat transplantation. Preoperative and 1-year postoperative audio recordings were blinded for scoring independently by three senior speech therapists on a five-point scale. Preoperative and 1-year postoperative MRIs were obtained during phonation, measuring the velopharyngeal distance and the velopharyngeal gap area. Correlations between the speech outcomes and MRI were calculated. RESULTS: Audible nasal emission was the only speech parameter that improved significantly postoperatively (p = 0.005). A significant reduction in both velopharyngeal distance (p < 0.005) and the gap area (p < 0.005) was found after treatment. A significant improvement in the mobility of the velum was observed after treatment (p = 0.03). There was no significant correlation between speech outcomes and MRI. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous fat transplantation for the treatment of mild VPI, although significantly reducing audible nasal emission, made no significant improvement in hypernasality or nasal turbulence. No complications were observed.

Impact of orthognathic surgery on velopharyngeal function by evaluating speech and cephalometric radiographs.

BACKGROUND: Maxillary retrognathia is a well-known consequence of abnormal facial growth in patients with cleft lip and palate. Orthognathic surgery improves facial appearance and occlusion but may induce velopharyngeal insufficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of orthognathic surgery on velopharyngeal function by using speech analysis and lateral cephalometric radiographs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 47 patients who underwent maxillary advancement ±â€¯mandibular setback between 2006 and 2016. Preoperative and 1 year postoperative audio recordings were blinded for scoring by three trained speech therapists. Preoperative and 1 year postoperative lateral cephalometric radiographs were used to obtain information about skeletal movement and its relationship with the velopharyngeal area. Correlations between speech outcomes and cephalometric radiographs were determined. RESULTS: Hyponasality improved significantly after surgery (p < 0.05), whereas hypernasality deteriorated significantly only in patients who underwent maxillary advancement alone (p < 0.05). No difference in speech parameters was found between patients with hypernasality or patients who had a pharyngoplasty preoperatively and the rest of the group. No correlation was found between the amount of maxillary advancement and hypernasality. A significant correlation (r < -0.49, p < 0.05) was found between the preoperative velar length and hypernasality postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Maxillary advancement has a negative impact on velopharyngeal function, whereas bimaxillary surgery seems to protect from deterioration. No difference was found in the amount of maxillary advancement or in velopharyngeal measurements between the Le Fort I group and the bimaxillary group. A short soft palate is a predictor of hypernasality after orthognathic surgery.