| Abstract: | Voice-quality (i.e., nasality) judgments are commonly used to evaluate the results of pharyngeal flap surgery. However, these are subjective judgments of questionable validity and reliability. This project was designed to systematically evaluate the outcome of pharyngeal flap surgery utilizing objective, quantifiable physiologic (pressure-flow) information. Thirty-one patients who had undergone pharyngeal flap surgery were selected. Pressure-flow measurements and perceptual judgments of speech were obtained following surgery. Results indicated that using pressure-flow criteria, only 52 percent of the outcomes were considered successful. Results also indicated that 35 percent of the cases were characterized by substantial nasopharyngeal airway obstruction. In the present study, these findings, along with the related perceptual phenomenon of denasality, were considered unsuccessful. Finally, results suggest that aerodynamic measurements can be used to assess other surgical techniques designed to correct velopharyngeal insufficiency. |
