Variations in Velopharyngeal Structure in Adults With Repaired Cleft Palate

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Speech Pathology
• Craniofacial Anomalies

Background:

• Cleft palate is a common congenital condition affecting facial structures.
• Velopharyngeal insufficiency can impact speech resonance.
• Understanding velopharyngeal anatomy in repaired cleft palate is crucial for speech outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate anatomical differences in velopharyngeal structures between adults with repaired cleft palate and normal resonance and adults without cleft palate.
• To compare 14 velopharyngeal measures between cleft and non-cleft groups.

Main Methods:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to obtain velopharyngeal measures.
• Thirty-six adults (6 with repaired cleft palate, 30 without) participated.
• Statistical analysis adjusted for body size and sex effects.

Main Results:

• Significant differences were found in 10 out of 14 velopharyngeal measures between the groups.
• Adults with repaired cleft palate exhibited shorter hard palate height/length, shorter levator muscle, shorter intravelar segment, more acute levator angles, a shorter/thinner velum, and greater pharyngeal depth.
• Despite anatomical differences, all participants with repaired cleft palate demonstrated normal resonance.

Conclusions:

• A wide range of velopharyngeal anatomical variability exists in individuals with repaired cleft palate, even with normal resonance.
• These anatomical variations do not necessarily lead to impaired speech resonance.
• Further research is needed to correlate anatomical variability with speech function in repaired cleft palate.