• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제32권3호
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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.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.92-96
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• 2001

Velopharyngeal function refers to the combined activity of the soft palate and pharynx in closing and opening the velopharyngeal port to the required degree. In normal speech, various muscles of palate & pharynx function as sphincter and occlude the oropharynx from the nasopharynx during the production of oral consonant sounds. Inadequate velopharyngeal function caused by neurologic disorder - cerebral apoplexy, regressive diseases - disseminated sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, congenital deformity - cleft palate, cerebral palsy and etc. may result in abnormal speech characterized by hypernasality, nasal emission and decreased intelligibility of speech due to weak consonant production. In our study, we constructed speech aids prosthesis - Palatal lift in acquired idiophathic VPI patient and assessed velopharyngeal function with various diagnostic instruments which can evaluate the speech characteristics objectively.

• 음성과학
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• 제3권
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• pp.57-69
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• 1998

Velopharyngeal function refers to the combined activity of the soft palate and pharynx in closing and opening the velopharyngeal port to the required degree. In normal speech, during the production of oral consonant sounds elevation of the soft palate, along with the superior constrictor muscle, occludes the oropharynx from the nasopharynx. Inadequate velopharyngeal function caused by congenital or acquired insufficiency or incompetency may result in abnormal speech characterized by hypernasality, nasal emission and decreased intelligibility of speech due to weak consonant production. The speech aid is often helpful in improving the speech of individuals with velopharyngeal incompetency. In this article, the pathogenesis and treatment of velopharyngeal incompetence are discussed and a speech aid appliance that was constructed for the patient is described.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제38권6호
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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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• 제28권5호
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• pp.483-488
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• 2006

Velopharyngeal function refers to the combined activity of the soft palate and pharynx in closing and opening the velopharyngeal port to the required degree. In normal speech, various muscles of palate & pharynx function as sphincter and occlude the oropharynx from the nasopharynx during the production of oral consonant sounds. Inadequate velopharyngeal function caused by neurologic disorder - cerebral apoplexy, regressive diseases - disseminated sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, congenital deformity - cleft palate, cerebral palsy and etc. may result in abnormal speech characterized by hypernasality, nasal emission and decreased intelligibility of speech due to weak consonant production. In our study, we constructed speech aids prosthesis - Speech bulb in the incomplete cleft palate VPI patient with hypernasality and assessed velopharyngeal function with nasometer which can evaluate the speech characteristics objectively.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.414-421
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• 2000

The objective evaluation of velopharyngeal closure function is the key to diagnosis and therapy control of velopharyngeal incompetency. The aim of this study is to evaluate the aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of the velopharyngeal closure function of patients who have developed velopharyngeal incompetency after management with speech aids. The test words were composed of sustained vowels /a/, /i/, /e/, /u/, /ja/, /je/, /wi/ and polysyllabic words /p'ap'i/, /siso/, /mami/ for measuring nasalance, The data was collected before the placement of the speech aids and one to three months after. The results were as follows: The nasalance score of the velopharyngeal incompetency speakers was higher than that of the normal control group, except for nasal sounds, and was decreased after placement of the speech aids, especially in high vowels /i/ (P<.01) and /wi/ (P<.05).

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.546-551
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• 2006

Purpose: The reconstruction of oropharyngeal defect after cancer surgery is very difficult because of their complicated structure and the functional importance to prevent velopharyngeal incompetence. In this article we investigated affecting factors of velopharyngeal function after reconstruction and a fundamental rule of reconstruction for saving their functions such as swallowing, speeching and breathing. Methods: We classified 18 patients into three group under Kimata's grouping. Type I defect(6 patients) was healed by primary closure or secondary intention. In Type II or III defect, two operation methods were used - the folded flap(8 patients) and modified Gehanno method(4 patients), which include a lateral-posterior pharyngeal rotation-advancement flap. We evaluated wound dehiscence between the flap and the soft palate, speech intelligibility using Hirose's method, regurgitation during oral feeding, and hypernasality. Results: Most of type I or II defects patients recovered satisfactory velopharyngeal function. But, in patients with type III defects we found wound dehiscence, worse speech function, and common velopharyngeal incompetence. Conclusion: The large defect size and presence of wound dehiscence are major factors of postoperative velopharyngeal function. We conclude that folded flap or modified Gehanno method is a good reconstructive operation method for broad contact between the flap and defect site, preventing wound problem.

• 대한구순구개열학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.13-22
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• 2008

Velopharyngeal insufficiency(VPI), characterized by hypernasal resonance and nasal air emission, is a speech disorder that can significantly compromise speech intelligibility. Cleft palate, previously repaired cleft palate and submucous cleft palate are associated with VPI. Less commonly, patients may acquire it after adenoidectomy with or without tonsillectomy or as a result of neuromuscular dysfunction. Comprehensive evaluation by a VPI team includes medical assessment focusing on airway obstructive symptoms, perceptual speech analysis, MRI and instrumental assessment. Options for intervention include speech therapy, intraoral prosthetic devices and surgery. Surgical methods can be categorized as palatal, palatopharyngeal or pharyngeal procedures. Each surgical approach has its strengths and limitations. Oro-maxillofacial surgeons are increasingly involved in the referral, evaluation, and treatment of velopharyngeal function. Therefore, understanding of physiology, anatomic structures, evaluation and treatment protocols in VPI is very important. This article presents protocol for evaluation of velopharyngeal function with a focus on indications for surgical interventions.

• 대한치과보철학회지
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.353-360
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• 2013

구순 구개열은 구강 악안면 부위에 발생하는 선천적 기형이다. 정상적인 연구개는 휴식 시에는 구강과 비강을 연결해 주고, 연하나 특정 발음 시에는 상방으로 이동하여, 구강과 비강을 분리하는 구개인두 폐쇄 운동을 한다. 구개인두 기능부전을 갖는 구개열 환자에서는 이 운동이 불완전하여 저작, 연하, 발음 시에 어려움을 겪는다. 이때, 구개 결손부를 폐쇄하기 위해 사용하는 보철물을 구개 폐쇄장치라고 한다. 구개 폐쇄장치는 구강과 비강을 분리하여 발음, 저작, 연하, 심미적 기능을 회복한다. 본 증례의 환자는 구개인두 기능부전을 갖는 선천적 구개열 환자로 구개인두 폐쇄를 이루기 위하여 모델링 콤파운드와 점막 조정재를 이용한 기능인상 과정을 시행하여 제작한 구개 폐쇄장치를 장착하여 기능적인 면과 심미적인 면에서 만족할만한 결과를 얻었기에 이를 보고하는 바이다.

• 대한후두음성언어의학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.129-133
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• 2007

Background and Objectives: Nasometry is an easy, noninvasive method to obtain objective data regarding the function of velopharynx. However, because articulation errors may affect the results of nasometry, the examiner should interpret the nasalance score based on appropriate speech stimuli. The purpose of this study is to examine the difference of nasalance score between glottal and oral articulations in patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Materials and Method: Nineteen children between 3.4 and 12.1 years of age (mean age 5.7 years) with a confirmed VPl showing hypernasality and articulation errors (glottal stops) were included. Nasalance scores were obtained for two speech patterns of glottal and oral stops. In addition, the velopharyngeal functions were analyzed in four subjects using video nasopharyngoscopy. Results: The $mean{\pm}S.D$ nasalance scores of the glottal stops and oral stops were $42.54{\pm}16.26%$ and $25.47{\pm}16.51%$ respectively (p=.000). Six of 19 patients achieved normal nasalance scores when glottal stops changed to oral stops by the trial speech therapy. Video nasopharyngoscope confirmed that large velopharyngeal gaps can be decreased into tiny gaps or complete closure when compensatory articulations were corrected for some cases. Conclusion: Compensatory articulation errors must be corrected for the reliable interpretation of the nasalance scores that are obtained in children with velopharyngeal insufficiency, which would facilitate to make a better decision for further management of these patients.