A Longitudinal Study of Maxillary Growth Following Pharyngeal-Flap Surgery

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the iflerts of phayirzgeol-flap surgery on maxillary growth in cleft palate individuals. Longitudinal cephalometric radiographs obtained on three separate populations were analyzed. One group of 24 cleft palate individuals had had pharyngeal—flap surgery performed prior to the prepubertal growth period. A subdivision of this group included five subjects with congenital palatal insufficiency who were additionally analysed separately. Two control groups were ana— lyzed for comparative purposes. One consisted of 28 non—cleft individuals and one of 18 cleft palate individuals who had had surgical repair but no pharyngeal—flap surgery. Longitudinal cephalometric records, matched according to age, were available on all three groups. It was found that pharyngeal-flap surgery has an effect on maxillary growth. When compared with the normal sample, both cleft samples, those with and those without pharyngeal-flaps, showed some reduction in forward maxillary growth. When compared with the normal sample, both cleft samples, those with and those without pharyngeal— flaps, showed some reduction in forward maxillary growth. However, the pharyngeal— flap group showed significantly greater reduction in maxillaryforward growth. The pharyn-geal—flap group showed normal vertical maxillary dimensions with growth whereas the non-flap cleft group exhibited some reduction in vertical growth ofthe maxillary complex. Localized effects ascribed to the pharyngeal-flap were noted.