Evaluation of the association between nasopharyngeal depth and respiratory complications after cleft palate surgery in children between 9 and 18 months old

Abstract

Background: Considering the incidence of respiratory complications after cleft lip and palate surgery and its significance in the survival of children undergoing the mentioned surgery, the present study was performed to evaluate the association between the nasopharyngeal depth and the incidence of respiratory complications after cleft palate surgery. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed on 222 children who aged 9–18 months and were the candidates for cleft palate surgery. After performing general anesthesia and implanting mouth gag and before surgery, the nasopharyngeal depth and the cleft palate width were measured with a calibrated ruler and an ophthalmic caliper, respectively. At the end of the surgery and after extubation, the incidence of respiratory complications such as respiratory distress, laryngospasm, bronchospasm, and need for intubation was recorded. Results: The nasopharyngeal depth in children with respiratory complications with a mean of 7.57 ± 3.12 mm was significantly less than that of children without respiratory complications with a mean of 10.82 ± 2.14 mm (P < 0.001). The nasopharyngeal depth of ≤8 mm with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 89.60% had a significant predictive value in the incidence of respiratory complications (P < 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, it seems that the nasopharyngeal depth of ≤8 mm can make the incidence of respiratory complications more likely. Therefore, considering the simplicity and convenience of measuring the nasopharyngeal depth and the cleft palate width, it is suggested to perform further studies to evaluate the anatomy of palate before this surgery using the employed method and address its association with respiratory complications.