No abstract available.
Cleft Palate* ; Muscles* ; Palate, Soft*

No abstract available.
Constriction* ; Palate, Soft* ; Tongue*

OBJECTIVETo study the morphology of the soft palate in normal humans with digital radiography and to provide the references for therapy of the cleft.

METHODS106 normal people were involved. The morphology of the soft palate was observed with digital cephalometry.

RESULTSAll static images of soft palate could be divided into six types: Shuttle-shaped, crescent-shaped, strip-shaped, S-shaped, hamulus-shaped and anomalous shaped. The dynamic image was knee-shaped.

CONCLUSIONThe morphology of the soft palate is varied.

No abstract available.
Palate, Soft* ; Tuberculosis* ; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the morphology of the soft palate in normal individuals with digital radiography, when they pronounced the high vowel of "i", and to provide the references for therapy of the cleft palate.

METHODSIn this study, the sample comprised 27 normal subjects. With the digital cephalometry, the morphology of the soft palate when pronouncing the high vowel of "i" was observed. And the dimensional difference of the soft palate when pronouncing between different gender was studied.

RESULTSWhen pronouncing the high vowel of "i", the morphology of the soft palate was like the shape of the knee. And it could be divided into two parts: horizontal and vertical. The length of the vertical part in male group was (24.92 +/- 2.03) mm, the length of the vertical part in the female group was (20.66 +/- 2.77) mm. The length of the vertical part was different between male and female group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe morphology of the palate when pronouncing the high vowel of "i" is similar. And the velar length of the vertical part of the male is longer than the female.

Palatoplasty using Furlow's double-opposing Z-plasty has been performed from June, 1995 to September, 1999 at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. The goal of this study is to determine the optimal timing of repair and cleft severity affecting velopharyngeal function. This is the retrospective study of patients operated by the second author. The mean age of patients was 10.53 months. The patients could be divided into three groups-isolated cleft palate(n=70), unilateral cleft lip and palate(n=88), and bilateral cleft lip and palate(n=42). To evaluate the velopharyngeal function, we used two parameters, speech evaluation and cineofluorography using DSR(digital subtraction radiography). Also, to determine the relevance between cleft severity and speech development, we measured the distance between maxillary tuberosities and cleft margins. Among 200 patients, about 96% had no or minimal hypernasality and 87% had no or mild nasal emission. The cleft width and length of soft palate seemed not to be related with the speech development. Palatoplasty at the age under 12 months resulted in less 'nasal emission' and better 'articulation' of the parameters that were assessed at the age of 7 years. It can be concluded Furlow palatoplasty shows satisfactory results and also it seems that it is better to perform the operation before the age of 12 months.
Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate* ; Humans ; Palate, Soft ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to explore the relationships between the lateral incisions (LI) and cleft extent after palatoplasty with the levator veli palatini retropositioning according to Sommerlad, and acquire optimal indication without lateral releasing incisions in the surgical treatment of cleft palate.

METHODSA total of 176 patients (81 isolated cleft palate, ICP; 74 unilateral completely cleft palate, UCCP; 21 bilateral completely cleft palate, BCCP) underwent Sommerlad palatoplasty. All dental casts evaluated had been obtained after general anaesthesia. Measuring points on the cast were determined as follows: Cleft palate width (CPW), interhamular width (IHW), and cleft palate index (CPI) defined as the ratio of CPW to IHW. The following analysis was carried out: The relationship between CPW and CPI, or between CPW and IHW were determined in both ICP, UCCP and BCCP subjects of both sexes together. Correlation analysis of the cleft palate width (CPW and CPI) and lateral incisions was carried out in ICP, UCCP and BCCP subjects.

RESULTSAmong 81 patients with ICP, 45 patients (55.6%) had no lateral incisions and bilateral incisions with length ranged from 5 mm to 30 mm (averaged 12.7 mm +/- 10.0 mm) were made in 36 patients (44.4%) after palatoplasty. Among 74 patients with UCCP, no lateral incision was made in 5 patients (6.8%), unilateral incisions were made in 28 patients (37.8%), and bilateral incisions were made in 41 patients (55.4%). Moreover, 21 patients (100%) with BCCP had bilateral incisions after palatoplasty. There was a strong correlation between cleft indexes or cleft palate width and lateral incisions in isolated cleft palate subjects (r = 0.776, P<0.01). Patients with CPI less than 0.31 or CPW less than 12.7 mm were more likely to have no lateral incisions following palatoplasty according to Sommerlad.

CONCLUSIONIt is suggested that CPW less than 12.7 mm need no lateral incisions for isolated cleft palate repair. Sommerlad palatoplasty with levator veli palatini retropositioning leaves few denuded palatal bone is considered to be advantageous for maxillary growth.

Cleft Palate ; Humans ; Palate, Soft ; Pharyngeal Muscles ; Pharynx ; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency

Squamous papilloma is a benign epithelial tumor that can develop in any mucosal site of the upper aerodigestive tract. While this tumor is found mainly in the squamocilliary junction, its distribution does not occur randomly. However, in many cases, squamous papilloma is asymptomatic, and only a small number of cases are diagnosed. We experienced a patient presented with the complaint of snoring. This patient was diagnosed as having squamous papilloma of the soft plate on the nasopharyngeal surface. The patient might have been misdiagnosed as having merely a simple snoring problem, as nothing was found upon macroscopic examination. Nevertheless, squamous papilloma was detected through fiberoptic nasopharyngolaryngoscopy. This patient was successfully treated with laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty, and we report this case, along with the associated literature.
Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Palate, Soft ; Papilloma ; Snoring

PURPOSE: The present study was aimed to investigate the variation of soft palate morphology in different age and gender groups. The correlations of radiographic velar length (VL), velar width (VW), pharyngeal depth (PD), and Need's ratio with soft palate variants were also studied in the North Indian subpopulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 300 subjects aged between 15 and 45 (mean: 31.32) years. The velar morphology on lateral cephalograms was examined and grouped into six types. The results obtained were subjected to a statistical analysis to find the correlation between variants of the soft palate with gender and different age groups. RESULTS: The most frequent type of soft palate was leaf shaped (48.7%), and the least common was crook shaped (3.0%) among both the genders and various age groups, showing a significant correlation. The mean VL, VW, and PD values were significantly higher in males and significantly correlated with the types of soft palate. A significant correlation was observed between the mean VL, VW, PD, and Need's ratio with various age groups, showing an inconsistent pattern with an increase in age. The types of soft palate, gender, and Need's ratio were also significantly correlated, with an overall higher mean value of the Need's ratio among female subjects and the S-shaped soft palate. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of a varied spectrum of velar morphology and the variants of the soft palate help in a better understanding of the velopharyngeal closure and craniofacial anomalies.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Palate, Soft* ; Radiography