Superiorly based flap pharyngoplasty: the degree of postoperative "tubing" and its effect on speech.

摘要: Summary It is recognised that superiorly based pharyngeal flaps tend to contract resulting in narrowing and lowering of the flaps. If lateral pharyngeal-wall motion unable close against ‘tubed’ flap or migrates below level medial displacement walls, velopharyngeal insufficiency will result. The extent this phenomenon contracture shrinkage has not been previously quantified. A consecutive series 120 superior pharyngoplasty operations were assessed critically carefully. mean width harvested measured 89% posterior wall shrank over 6 months 45% dinameter. relations between speech results, complication rate remaining are analysed. All shrink but a varying degree.