Changes in the Height of Velopharyngeal Closure Relative to the Cervical Spine From Infancy Through Adolescence in Patients With Cleft Palate.

Objective: Palpation is often used to identify C1, an intraoperative landmark, for placement of the pharyngoplasty. However, little is known about the relationship between the palatal plane (PP) and this cervical spine landmark across select variables. This study seeks to analyze variations in the height of velopharyngeal closure relative to C1 across differing cleft types and age groups.

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional analysis.

Setting: Large, multidisciplinary center for craniofacial disorders.

Methods: Clinical lateral cephalograms were analyzed in nonsyndromic patients who underwent primary palatoplasty. Regression analysis and analysis of covariance were completed to determine how age and cleft type impact underlying cervical and velopharyngeal measures.

Results: Age ( P < .001) and cleft type ( P = .036) were significant predictors of the distance between the height of velopharyngeal closure and C1. Those with greater severity of clefting demonstrated larger distances between the height of velopharyngeal closure and C1. Compared to normative data, children with cleft palate have significantly larger distances between the PP and C1. The height of velopharyngeal closure above C1 was observed to range from 3.6 to 12.6 mm across cleft populations.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the variability in C1 as a landmark across variables including cleft type and age. Because of differences in the height of velopharyngeal closure across cleft types relative to C1, it is necessary to preoperatively quantify the vertical distance between the PP and palpable intraoperative landmark, C1, to determine the appropriate height of pharyngoplasty insertion.