Background: As the performance of late primary palatoplasty for skeletally mature patients remains controversial, there is little data available regarding speech outcomes for this patient population. The purpose of this study therefore is to identify and evaluate the impact of speech outcomes following late palate repair on skeletally mature patients. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 19 consecutive skeletally mature patients who underwent late primary palate repair between 2010 and 2018. Speech assessment was performed preoperatively, between 3 and 6 months postoperatively, and then after 6 months postoperatively. Levels for hypernasality, oral pressure, and audible nasal air emission were scored and recorded. Patients were stratified by age, gender, presence of postoperative fistula, and Veau cleft type, in order to determine the impact of each variable on final speech outcomes. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the preoperative speech assessment with the postoperative speech outcomes, and the Mann–Whitney test was used to analyze the impact of the above variables on final speech outcomes. Results: Our data showed overall postoperative speech improvement for all tested variables. Patients without postoperative fistula presented better results in oral pressure than those patients with postoperative fistula (P < 0.05). None of the other tested variables presented a significant negative impact on speech outcomes. Conclusion: Late primary palatoplasty significantly improves speech outcomes for skeletally mature patients. Fistula has a negative impact on oral pressure.

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Syngnathia is a rare facial anomaly associated with neonatal problems, including a compromised airway, and the inability to take in solids and/or liquids. Syngnathia is included within the spectrum of oromandibular limb hypogenesis syndrome, an extremely rare condition characterized by varying degrees of congenital malformation involving the tongue, mandible, and limbs. In this report, we describe the case of a 41-day-old Caucasian female infant who was unable to open her mouth beginning at birth. The authors performed osteotomies to separate fused bone, and placed a bite block at the osteotomy sites to prevent bone fusion recurrence. At 2 years of follow-up patient remained with 14 mm of mouth opening.

The buccinator myomucosal flap, also referred to as a buccal myomucosal flap, is an effective technique to address velopharyngeal insufficiency after cleft palate repair. Challenges related to flap harvesting may deter plastic surgeons from incorporating this strategy as a first-line treatment. The primary objective of this study and accompanying video is to provide support regarding indications, planning, and surgical steps of the buccinator myomucosal flap technique, including important technical details for soft-palate dissection and flap harvesting.

Background: There are paucity of studies focused on the long-term assessment of the craniofacial changes after a pi-plasty procedure and self-reported quality of life outcomes. Thus, this study aimed to assess long-term morphologic changes and quality of life of patients with sagittal synostosis who underwent surgery with a modified pi-plasty. Methods: Consecutive patients with sagittal synostosis who underwent surgery and had more than 5 years of follow-up and standard preoperative and 1, 3, and 5 years right profile view photographs were included. Nasofrontal angle and angle of total facial convexity were evaluated using computerized photogrammetric measurements. Additionally, quality of life outcome was evaluated by the Quality of Life Scale Short Form. Results: The total facial convexity angle and nasofrontal angle increased significantly (P < 0.05), with a P-value of 0.013 and 0.012, respectively. Patients had quality of life scores >80 in all of the 4 domains, with the highest scores being: physical health domain 80.0 ± 0, psychologic domain 85.0 ± 5, social relationships domain 86.6 ± 0, and environmental domain 98.13 ± 2.42. Conclusion: Facial angles significantly changed over 5 years of follow-up. Self-reported quality of life instrument showed that patients are satisfied with their own appearance, contributing positively to their quality of life.