The case for the pharyngeal flap pharyngoplasty in the management of velopharyngeal dysfunction.

Velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) occurs when there is inadequate closure of the velopharyngeal sphincter during speech. An incompetent velopharyngeal sphincter may require surgical intervention to create a functional seal between the oropharynx and the nasopharynx during speech. To date, no single pharyngoplasty procedure has emerged as superior to another, and the comparison of results between studies has been limited by variation in outcomes reporting.