A Technique for Temporary Obturation of Fistulae- A Clinical Note

Abstract

We devised a simple technique to differentiate the contribution of the oranasalfistula from that of the uelophavyngeal part when abnormal nasal air flow is present. Temporary oblurators were constructed from a thin sheet of dental wax and retained by a dental adhesive. Speech samples collected for aerodynamic analysis, both with and without the appliance, included both fricatives and plosives in single words and connected speech. Our results indicate that this temporary obturator, used in conjunction with aerodynamic studies, can be used to determine the etiology of abnormal nasal flows in speakers with oronasal fistulae.