• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.375-380
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• 2005

Furlow palatoplasty has been favored by many plastic surgeons as the primary treatment for the velopharyngeal insufficiency associated with submucous cleft palate. The purpose of this article is to introduce an efficacy of Furlow palatoplasty and speech therapy performed on patients who were diagnosed belatedly as having submucous cleft palates. From 2002 to 2004, four submucous cleft palate patients over 5 years of age with velopharyngeal insufficiency received Furlow palatoplasty. The patients were evaluated through the preoperative perceptual speech assessment, nasometry, and videonasopharyngoscopy. Postoperatively, two patients achieved competent velopharyngeal function in running speech. One of the remaining two could achieve competent velopharyngeal function with visual biofeedback speech therapy and the other could not use her new velopharyngeal function in running speech because of her age. Speech therapy can correct the articulation errors and thus improve the velopharyngeal function to a certain extent by eliminating some compensatory articulations that might have an adverse influence on velopharyngeal function. This study shows that Furlow palatoplasty can successfully correct the velopharyngeal insufficiency in submucous cleft palate patients and speech therapy has a role in reinforcing surgical result. But age is still a restrictive factor even though surgery was well done.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2006

Palatoplasty using Furlow's double-opposing Z-plasty has been performed from June, 1995 to September, 1999 at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. The goal of this study is to determine the optimal timing of repair and cleft severity affecting velopharyngeal function. This is the retrospective study of patients operated by the second author. The mean age of patients was 10.53 months. The patients could be divided into three groups-isolated cleft palate(n=70), unilateral cleft lip and palate(n=88), and bilateral cleft lip and palate(n=42). To evaluate the velopharyngeal function, we used two parameters, speech evaluation and cineofluorography using DSR(digital subtraction radiography). Also, to determine the relevance between cleft severity and speech development, we measured the distance between maxillary tuberosities and cleft margins. Among 200 patients, about 96% had no or minimal hypernasality and 87% had no or mild nasal emission. The cleft width and length of soft palate seemed not to be related with the speech development. Palatoplasty at the age under 12 months resulted in less 'nasal emission' and better 'articulation' of the parameters that were assessed at the age of 7 years. It can be concluded Furlow palatoplasty shows satisfactory results and also it seems that it is better to perform the operation before the age of 12 months.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.741-747
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• 2007

Purpose: In order to determine the differences in speech outcome based on timing of operation in submucous cleft palate, we have reviewed our experiences in the Furlow palatoplasty over the last 11 years. Methods: From March 1996 to March 2006, 38 submucous cleft palate patients received Furlow palatoplasty. 10 developmentally delayed patients were excluded and 5 patients were lost to follow up. The rest 23 patients were reviewed. Speech was evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively, and speech therapy was performed accordingly. Perceptual speech assessment included hypernasality, nasal emission and articulation disorder. Cinefluorography was performed to aid perceptual assessment. Based on timing of operation, the patients were divided into 3 groups as following: Group A under 24 months(8 patients), Group B from 25 to 48 months(6 patients), and Group C over 49 months (9 patients). Except 1 patient under speech therapy yet, resultant speech was compared. 200707Results: The rate of abnormal speech was higher in Group C(3/9, 33.3%) than in Group A(0%) or B(0%). All 3 patients who had been discontinued of speech therapy from the parent's judgment had abnormal speech. The reason for the discontinuation was that the regular speech therapy was a burden at school age. Any patients who had continued speech therapy had normal speech. Conclusion: The results of our study shows that operative timing is associated with speech development. Maintenance of speech therapy was an important factor for normal speech development. It will be helpful to perform a palatoplasty before 48 months of age to complete speech therapy before the school age.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2005

Cleft palate patients with congenital anomalies have an increased risk of airway problems following palatoplasty. Factors that were related included presence of associated congenital anomalies, duration of surgery, age at time of surgery, history of previous airway problem, and excessive pressure exerted on the base of the tongue by Dingman retractor. This report described a complication of post-operative Pneumonia after palatoplasty (Furlow technique), which resulted in a life-threatening acute airway obstruction in an infant with cleft palate. Patient has a history of previous mild airway problems. In addition to this problem, we speculate that Furlow technique involves more extensive surgical dissection than other techniques may increase risk for upper airway obstruction. Awareness of this risk permits identifying those patients prior to surgery so that they can be monitored and managed properly, minimizing the likelihood of major complications or possibility of death.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.381-385
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• 2009

Objective : The objective of this study was to compare the surgical techniques for the correction of congenital cleft palate. Techniques and approaches : Four-hundred-sixity patients operated between 1993 and 2008 were included in this study. The collected data were age, sex, operating time, admission days, and complications. The comparison between techniques were done by independent t-test. Results: The majority (86.9 %) of patients were received the operation later than 1.5 years old. The distribution of each surgical technique was 43.8 % by Bardach palatoplasty, 11.9 % by Furlow palatoplasty, 1.8 % by Veau palatoplasty, and 42.4 % by the new technique developed by us. Postoperative complication such as wound dehiscence, formation of oro-nasal fistulas in the soft and hard palates were shown in 23.0 % of Bardach technique, 44.2 % of Furlow technique, and 37.5 % of Veau technique. However, only 5.4 % of patients were shown complications in our technique (P<0.001). The operation time was recorded 70 minutes under new technique while the others were 110 minutes (P<0.001). The clinical treatment at hospital was required 7.4 days for our technique and 11.3-15.5 days for the other methods. Conclusion : The surgical treatment of congenital cleft palate in Mongolia was conducted later than proper timing for surgery. As the results were indicated, our new technique should be considered for the correction of cleft palate in old aged patients.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.97-108
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• 2012

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is improper closure of velopharynx during the phonation and swallowing due to various causes, especially appeared in cleft palate patients. The several surgical techniques and speech therapy can be considered in treatment of VPI. The surgical techniques such as Furlow's double opposing Z-plasty, pharyngeal flap, push-back palatoplasty, etc. have been widely used when the speech therapy is not so much effective. However, there is considerable variability in the methods for evaluation and in success criteria making difficult to compare among surgical techniques. This article reviewed the recent articles about comparing the surgical techniques in treatment of VPI. Although there is no significant difference in speech assessment by speech pathologist, Furlow's double opposing Z-plasty is a useful technique especially diminishing hypernasality and nasal emission.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.42
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• pp.8.1-8.5
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• 2020

Background: The cause of maxillary growth restriction in patients with cleft lip and palate remains controversial. While studies have investigated the effects surgical technique and timing have on maxillary growth, few focus on patients with isolated cleft palate (ICP). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact palate repair and its associated complications may have on maxillary growth. Methods: A retrospective chart review of ICP patients who underwent palatoplasty from 1962 to 1999 at Akron Children's Hospital was performed. Patient demographics, Veau type, age at primary repair, closure technique, presence of fistula or velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), number of palatal operations, maxillary hypoplasia (MH) frequency, and follow-up were recorded. Exclusion criteria included patients with cleft lip, submucous cleft, or syndromes. Results: Twenty-nine non-syndromic ICP patients were identified; 62% (n = 18) had Veau type 1 and 38% (n = 11) had Veau type 2. All patients underwent 2-flap or Furlow palatoplasty with mobilization of mucoperiosteal flaps. Vomerine flaps were used in all Veau 2 cleft palate closures. Palatoplasty was performed at a mean age of 19.9 ± 8.2 months. Average follow-up was 209 ± 66.5 months. The rate of VPI was 59% (n = 17) and the rate of oronasal fistula was 14% (n = 4). Conclusions: There was a low incidence of MH despite complications after initial palate closure. Our results seem to suggest that age at palate closure, type of cleft palate, and type of surgical technique may not be associated with MH. Additionally, subsequent procedures and complications after primary palatoplasty such as VPI and palatal fistula may not restrict maxillary growth.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2004

The present study was carried out to investigate the change of the palatal length after palatoplasty in congenital cleft palate. With the data from one hundred and twelve patients with cleft palate who had been treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Chonnam University Hospital over a period of 10 years(April 1995 to April 2004). The epidemiological characteristics, the method of palate repair, the postoperative complications and the extent of palatal lengthening were investigated and analyzed statistically. Incomplete cleft palate occurs more frequently than complete cleft palate. Male were affected 2.1 times more than female in complete cleft palate, and female were affected 1.2 times more than male in incomplete cleft palate. Dorrance method and Wardill V-Y method were frequently used in repair of incomplete cleft palate. Wardill V-Y method, Furlow double opposing Z-plasty, two flap method, and Perko method were widely used in repair of complete cleft palate. The extent of palatal lengthening was greater in the incomplete cleft palate group(5.84 mm) than in the complete cleft palate group(4.71 mm), and in the Furlow double opposing Z-plasty group(5.70 mm) than in the push back palatoplasty group(5.33 mm). But no significant difference was noted. Palatal fistula and wound dehiscence were popular postoperative complications in cleft palate. These results indicate that the extent of palatal lengthening, which contributing to speech function, is a range of 3.5% to 24.0%(average 10.8%) after palatoplasty in cleft palate patients.