Change in velopharyngeal valving after speech therapy in cleft palate patients. A videonasopharyngoscopic and multi-view videofluoroscopic study.

Thirty-one cleft palate patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency and compensatory articulation in association with hypernasality after palate closure were studied. Videonasopharyngoscopy and multi-view videofluoroscopy were performed to all patients before and after speech therapy for correcting compensatory articulation. The ratios of movement of velopharyngeal structures were significantly increased after compensatory articulation had been corrected. Furthermore, the size of the gap at the velopharyngeal sphincter during closure was significantly reduced. The results in this study support the statement that articulation disorders in association with hypernasality in cleft palate patients should be corrected prior to the implementation of surgery for velopharyngeal insufficiency after palate closure.