The effects of palatal lengthening on the functional and speech outcomes after submucous cleft palate repair.

This study was designed to compare intravelar veloplasty with and without V-Y pushback palatoplasty regarding postoperative functional and speech outcomes. THE AIM: is to find out the importance and influence of palatal lengthening on the functional and speech outcomes after SMCP repair. STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective randomized comparative study of 20 patients divided into 2 equal groups. The study was conducted between February 2008 and January 2015. METHODS: Radical Intravelar Veloplasty (RIVVP group): included 10 patients with a mean age of 5.539+/-1.335 years and V-Y Pushback Pharyngoplasty and Radical Intravelar Veloplasty (VYP+RIVVP group): included 10 patients with a mean age of 5.688+/-1.341 years for non-syndromic SMCP. SETTING: Academic tertiary care medical centres. RESULTS: In both groups there was a significant change in Eustachian tube function, nasal emission and nasal tone of voice postoperatively than preoperatively, while there was no significant difference between both groups in the postoperative outcomes as regards the same parameters (ET function, nasal emission and resonance) (p=0.558, 0.563 and 0.164 respectively). However, there was a significant difference between both groups as regards palatal lengthening, no statistically significant difference was present between both groups as regards the postoperative mean pharyngeal gap, using videoendoscopic analysis. In conclusion, RIVVP and VYP+RIVVP are both effective methods to repair non-syndromic SMCP. Moreover, the lengthening of the palate in non-syndromic SMCP is an unnecessary process.