Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in Patients with Neurologic, Emotional, and Mental Disorders

Abstract

The management of patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency coexistent with neurologic, emotional, or mental disorders was investigated, and changes in the voice quality of patients who had pharyngeal flap surgery were evaluated. Half achieved normal or near normal voice quality; 36%, although not reaching normal voice quality, did show improvement. Thus 86% snowed either improved or normal voice. These results fall within the upper range of improvement reported by previous investigators of nonhandicapped patients. Judging from the results of this study, previously reported decisions not to perform surgery on patients with coexisting handicaps may have been too conservative.