What is velar insufficiency?
Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is when the soft palate does not close tightly against the back of the throat, leading to air coming out the nose (characterized by hypernasality and/or nasal air emission) during speech. This can cause speech that is difficult to understand.
What can cause velopharyngeal insufficiency?
What causes velopharyngeal insufficiency?
- Cleft palate. The most common cause of VPI is a cleft palate or submucosal cleft palate (cleft covered by the lining or mucous membrane of the roof of the mouth).
- Velar dysplasia. Velar dysplasia can be a cause of VPI.
- Cervical spine anomalies.
- Adenoid and tonsil problems.
- Tumors.
How is velopharyngeal insufficiency treated?
Treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency consists of speech therapy and surgical correction by a palatal elongation pushback procedure, posterior pharyngeal wall implant, pharyngeal flap, or pharyngoplasty, depending on the mobility of the lateral pharyngeal walls, the degree of velar elevation, and the size of the …
What causes nasopharynx not to close properly?
Causes of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Velopharyngeal insufficiency may be caused by a number of conditions, including: Cleft palate. Tonsil or adenoid surgery. Nerve or muscle disease.
What sounds does Velopharyngeal insufficiency affect?
The two main speech symptoms of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) are hypernasality and nasal air emission. Hypernasality is sometimes called nasal speech. In English the sounds “m,” “n” and “ng” are the only sounds that should resonate nasally.
What is the difference between velopharyngeal incompetence and insufficiency?
Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which is due to abnormal structure. Velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI), which is due to abnormal movement. Velopharyngeal mislearning, which is due to abnormal speech sound production.
What are the symptoms of velopharyngeal dysfunction?
What are the Signs and Symptoms of VPD?
- Excessively nasal speech quality (also known as hypernasality)
- Leakage of air through the nose while speaking.
- Speech which sounds weak or muffled.
- Abnormal articulation.
- Leakage of food or liquid through the nose while eating.
What is Palatoplasty surgery?
A palatoplasty is a surgical procedure used to correct or reconstruct the PALATE in a person with a CLEFT PALATE. The basic goals of this surgery are to: Close the abnormal opening between the nose and mouth.
How is Velopharyngeal insufficiency diagnosed?
How is velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) diagnosed?
- Endoscopy, using a medical device with lights attached that allow doctors to see inside the mouth.
- Videofluoroscopy, a type of X-ray that uses a liquid called barium to provide contrast that makes it easy for a doctor to examine the back of the mouth.
Why does nasal regurgitation happen?
The nasopharynx closes through a combination of soft palate elevation and contraction of the upper pharyngeal constrictor muscles (the superior pharyngeal constrictors). Failure of this closure mechanism, pharyngeal retention, or esophagopharyngeal regurgitation can result in nasal regurgitation (Figure 5).
What is velopharyngeal incompetence?
Velopharyngeal incompetence occurs when the velum and lateral and posterior pharyngeal walls fail to separate the oral cavity from the nasal cavity during speech and deglutination.