Surgical Outcomes for the Treatment of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

• Published in: Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery 2019-08, Vol.161 (2), p.348-351
• Main Authors: Bohm, Lauren A., Miller, Jessa E., Morrell, Noëlle, Sidman, James D., Roby, Brianne B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 22q11.2 deletion syndrome; Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; DiGeorge syndrome; DiGeorge Syndrome - complications; Female; Furlow palatoplasty; Humans; hypernasality; Male; Palate, Soft - surgery; Pharynx - surgery; Retrospective Studies; speech outcomes; sphincter pharyngoplasty; Treatment Outcome; velocardiofacial syndrome; velopharyngeal insufficiency; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency - etiology; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency - surgery
• ISSN: 0194-5998; 1097-6817
• DOI: 10.1177/0194599819839958

This study aimed to compare outcomes of concomitant palatoplasty and sphincter pharyngoplasty with pharyngeal flap and sphincter pharyngoplasty alone for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Thirty-one cases were identified for inclusion in the study. Patients were separated into 3 surgical groups: combined palatoplasty and sphincter pharyngoplasty (n = 11), pharyngeal flap (n = 7), and sphincter pharyngoplasty (n = 13). Outcome measures included perceptual speech analyses, surgical complications, and revision rates. There were no differences in preoperative speech analysis scores (P = .31). The combined palatoplasty and sphincter pharyngoplasty procedure had similar speech outcomes compared to pharyngeal flap, and both were significantly better than sphincter pharyngoplasty alone. Complication rates (P = .61) and the need for revision surgery (P = .25) were similar among all 3 groups. Concomitant palatoplasty and sphincter pharyngoplasty may be an alternative treatment for velopharyngeal insufficiency in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.