Inconsistencies in Clinical Reporting of Nasopharyngoscopy for Evaluating Velopharyngeal Closure: A Multisite Study

Nasopharyngoscopy is an imaging method used to visualize the velopharyngeal mechanism. To quantify the movement of the mechanism during speech, an international working group recommended standardized rating guidelines. While these guidelines are widely cited in research, the extent to which cleft teams apply them in a clinical setting is unclear.

This cross-sectional study examined clinical nasopharyngoscopy reports from 11 cleft teams in North America. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the proportion of reports that included ratings for the extent of velar movement, left and right lateral pharyngeal wall movement, gap size, and a surgical recommendation. Fisher's exact and chi-square tests were used to assess differences in reporting by cleft team and whether the inclusion of quantitative ratings was associated with a surgical recommendation being included.

A total of 188 nasopharyngoscopy reports were included. The extent of velar movement was reported in 68% (n = 127) of reports, the left and right lateral pharyngeal wall movement was reported in 38% (n = 71), and the size of the gap was reported in 70% (n = 132). Only 34% (n = 63) of reports included all three quantitative ratings. Inclusion of all three quantitative ratings varied significantly (p < .001) across teams. Teams either never included all the ratings (n = 4/11) or inconsistently included all ratings (n = 7/11).

Findings suggest that what is documented clinically in nasopharyngoscopy reports varies both within and across teams. To achieve more consistent reporting within individual teams, providers may consider implementing standardized clinical templates. To achieve consistency across teams, these findings suggest a need for renewed efforts at developing consensus on the nasopharyngoscopy elements important to clinicians.