• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.867-870
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• 2011

Purpose: The authors would like to introduce two patients who presented with velopharyngeal inadequacy. We emphasize the importance of nasaopharyngeal endoscopy in evaluating the velopharyngeal function and the usefulness of biofeedback trial therapy. Methods: Two patients visited our clinic due to velopharyngeal inadequacy. Both of the patients showed hypernasality, nasal emission and compensatory articulation such as glottal stop. During oral examination and nasopharyngeal endoscopy both showed no evidence of structural deformities. One inconsistently showed a small gap during articulation. The other showed a rather large gap during compensatory articulation. Both received a simultaneous biofeedback trial therapy using the nasopharyngeal endoscope. Results: Both patients were successfully diagnosed and treated at once using biofeedback trial therapy with nasopharyngeal endoscopy. By giving direct visual feedback to the patient, they were both able to achieve complete velopharyngeal closure during production of 2~3 nonsence syllables and hypernasality was not detected in both of them. Conclusion: The authors were able to help patients with velopharyngeal inadequacy to have velopharyngeal closure through biofeedback trial therapy. The accurate evaluation of velopharyngeal function and the possibility of closure prevented unnecessary operations.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.149-165
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• 1999

The pathomechanism of obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) is not clearly elucidated. The possible mechanisms are pathologic reduction of pharyngeal muscular tonus during sleep, abnormal anatomical stenosis of nasopharyx or a combination of the above two mechanisms. It is very important to find the cause(anatomical location or pathologic dynamic change) of OSA in order to treat it. Cephalometric analysis in patients with obstructive sleep apnea is a good method for evaluating anatomical morphologic change but it cannot give any information about the dynamic changes occurring during sleep. On the contrary, nasopharyngeal endoscopy offer 3 dimensional image and information about the dynamic changes. Accordingly, these two diagnostic tools can be utilize in the diagnosis and treatment planning of OSA Cephalometric analysis of craniofacial skeletal and soft tissue morphology in 53 patients with OSA and 43 controls was performed and cephalometric analysis and nasopharygeal endoscopy were performed in 9 patients with OSA in order to come up with individualized therapy plans. Following results were obtained ; Patients with OSA showed 1. body weight gain 2. clockwise mandibular rotation 3. increased anterior lower facial height 4. inferiorly positioned hyoid bone 5. increased length of soft palate 6. decreased sagittal dimension of nasopharyx 7. increased vertical length of inferior collapsable nasopharyx 8. increased length of tongue Through cephalometric analysis and nasopharygeal endoscopy(mutually cooperative in diagnosis), 9. one can find the possible origin of OSA and make a adequate individualized therapy plan and predict accurate prognosis. Cephalometric analysis and nasopharygeal endoscopy are highly recommended as a diagnostic aid in OSA patients

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.871-874
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• 2011

Purpose: In some patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), Hypernasality can persist after surgical management. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is applied to these patients for treating hypernasality. The purpose of this study is to report follow-up results of postoperative CPAP therapy. Methods: After performing palatal lengthening, CPAP therapy was applied to three patients for eight weeks from July of 2008 to November of 2009. Perceptual evaluation, nasometry, and nasopharyngeal endoscopy were performed to evaluate hypernasality, nasalance and size of the gap at velopharyngeal port. Each evaluation was made before surgery, right after CPAP therapy and during follow-up of more than a year after CPAP therapy. Results: All of the patients showed improvement in hypernasality right after CPAP therapy according to the auditory perceptual evaluation, nasometry and nasopharyngeal endoscopy. But the improvement in hypernasality in these patients did not last during follow-up. Conclusion: In this study, our results suggest that CPAP therapy is effective in reducing hypernasality for postoperative VPI patients immediately after the therapy, but hypernasality may be worsen in some patients during follow-up. Therefore we recommend follow-ups after CPAP therapy to see if the efficacy of CPAP therapy lasts.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.961-977
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was designed to analyze the treatment effects of Eunhwayeongyo-tang through retrospective chart reviews. We also checked the correlation between each pair of variables of the symptoms and curative rates of patients with cough. Methods: Thirty-three patients with cough who had satisfied the selection criteria were retrospectively reviewed through their basic medical records, nasal endoscopy, and questionnaires about cough on their first and second visits. The questionnaires used were "The questionnaire on clinical symptoms of cough & sputum", Leicester Cough Questionnaire Korean Version (LCQ-K), Total Nasal Symptom Scores (TNSS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and "Cold-heat patterns". The improvement rate, calculated by "The questionnaire on clinical symptoms of cough & sputum" was considered to be clinically effective if reduction of symptoms scored more than 30%. The state of nasopharyngeal mucosa was assessed to categorize the cold-heat patterns of the upper respiratory tract and for diagnosis. Results: According to this study, cough and sputum improved by $57.22{\pm}37.76%$. Most patients (76%) improved significantly after $12.18{\pm}6.59days$ of taking Eunhwayeongyo-tang. The cure rates of 26 patients among the 33 patients were judged as effective. All the mean scores of the questionnaires and the anterior nasal cavity states were significantly improved on the patients' second visits. After $18.39{\pm}15.68days$, 30 patients were completely cured and ended treatment. The nasopharyngeal mucosa states of all patients were categorized as heat patterns. Conclusions: The conditions of the patients with nasopharyngitis significantly improved after taking Eunhwayeongyo-tang. All of the patients had pharyngitis or rhinitis. The cold-heat pattern of nasopharyngeal mucosa was a significant indicator of upper respiratory inflammation diagnosis.