Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Isolation and Characterization of Satellite Cells from Rat Head Branchiomeric Muscles
Published on: July 20, 2015
Aerodynamic and cephalometric analyses of velopharyngeal structure and function following re-pushback surgery for
Norifumi Nakamura1, Yuko Ogata, Masaaki Sasaguri
1First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. nakamura@dent.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Objective:
The goal of this study was to clarify the efficacy of and indication for re-pushback surgery as secondary treatment for cleft palate.
Participants:
Fifteen patients treated by re-pushback surgery involving intravelar veloplasty (IVV) with buccal mucosal grafting on the nasal surface and followed up more than 6 months were enrolled in this study.
Main Outcome Measures:
Pre- and postoperative velopharyngeal functions were analyzed by perceptual voice analysis, blowing ratio, and nasalance scores during phonation of /i/ and /tsu/. Cephalometric analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between velopharyngeal structure and the outcome of re-pushback surgery. Control data were obtained from the longitudinal files of normal 10-year-old children in Kyushu University Dental Hospital.
Results:
Eight of 15 patients obtained complete velopharyngeal closure (complete group), five patients improved remarkably (improved group), and no effective result was seen in two patients (ineffective group). Nasality disappeared or remarkably improved after the operation in 13 patients. Effective surgical results were found in 86.7% of the patients. Partial flap necrosis was seen in two patients in whom re-pushback surgery was performed using mucosal palatal flaps instead of mucoperiosteal flaps. Preoperative velar length and the length/depth ratio of the re-pushback group were significantly smaller than the controls, but there was no difference after the operation. Furthermore, the preoperative length/depth ratio of the complete group (ranged more than 100%) was significantly greater than those of the other two groups (ranged less than 100%).
Conclusion:
Re-pushback surgery by IVV with free mucous grafting on the nasal surface was effective in managing velopharyngeal incompetence secondarily, improving velopharyngeal structure and function.
