Surgical management of velopharyngeal dysfunction

Velopharyngeal insufficiency can be a postoperative sequela or congenital. Velopharyngeal insufficiency is defined as a degree of nasality that interferes with resonance quality and comprehensibility. The diagnosis and preoperative evaluation is contingent on collaborative evaluation between the surgeon and speech-language pathologist. A thorough history and a complete head and neck examination including a videotaped nasopharyngoscopy optimize planning. Although each patient varies greatly in their presentation, we provide a review of the most commonly implemented procedures to improve velopharyngeal insufficiency and the best way to recognize which will likely improve a patient’s condition based on preoperative evaluation.