The San Venero Roselli pharyngoplasty: an electromyographic study of the palatopharyngeus muscle.

Electromyography of the palatopharyngeus and salpingopharyngeus muscles was performed in three groups: normal subjects, subjects with cleft palate before surgical treatment, and subjects with repaired palatal clefts incorporating the San Venero Roselli pharyngoplasty. Results suggested that the salpingopharyngeus muscle is inconsistently present in man. The palatopharyngeus is primarily concerned with swallowing and is not active during velopharyngeal closure. Its activity is not affected by the San Venero Roselli procedure. The surgical approximation of this muscle may be advantageous because of its antagonistic action to the levator veli palatini.