Incongruous movements of the velum and lateral pharyngeal walls

Five patients evaluated via multi-view videofluoroscopy were found to have incongruous movements between the velum and lateral aspects of the pharyngeal walls. All five patients had velopharyngeal insufficiency resulting from either absent lateral pharyngeal wall motion in the presence of velar mobility or absent velar mobility in the presence of lateral pharyngeal wall motion. The data indicates that these valving patterns are not rare phenomena of velopharyngeal valving. Treatment by pharyngeal flap or other methods for velopharyngeal insufficiency must be suited to these peculiar valving patterns based on adequate diagnostic information.