Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Single-stage Dynamic Reanimation of the Smile in Irreversible Facial Paralysis by Free Functional Muscle Transfer
Published on: March 1, 2015
[A comparison of the velopharyngeal closure after palatoplasty between with or without velopharyngeal muscular
Ning-Xin Cheng1, Min Zhao, Ke-Ming Qi
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Guangzhou First Municipal People's Hospital, Guanzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510180, China.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of palatoplasty with or without velopharyngeal muscular reconstruction on the velopharyngeal closure under the lateral radiography.
Methods:
The lateral radiographs and cephalometric analysis were taken in sixty-two patients with cleft palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency, 32 repaired with velopharyngeal muscular reconstruction and 30 with modified von Langenbeck's procedure (non-reconstructive group).
Results:
In patients with velopharyngeal muscular reconstruction, the velopharyngeal competence, the reductive rate of nasopharynx, the distance reduction in lower part of the mobile nasopharynx during phonation and the distance in middle part of mobile nasopharyngo in rest were superior to that without velopharyngeal muscular reconstruction, and there were variform PPW eminence-soft palate contact in velopharyngeal closure. The patients with complete or good velopharyngeal closure had a definite reduction in nasopharynx, compared to the patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency in the non-reconstructive group.
Conclusions:
The functional area for velopharyngeal closure after palatoplasty might be located in the middle part of mobile nasopharynx. The velopharyngeal muscular reconstruction in palatoplasty could reduce the size of nasopharynx and improve the coordination movement of velopharyngeal closure.