Changes in velopharyngeal valving with age.

Variability of velopharyngeal valving between subjects has been a well established fact since the advent of new techniques for the direct viewing of the velopharyngeal sphincter during speech. Multi-view videofluoroscopy and nasopharyngoscopy have shown that there is variable contribution to velopharyngeal closure from the velum, the lateral pharyngeal walls, and posterior pharyngeal wall from person to person. However, to date, there has been no evidence to show if velopharyngeal closure remains unchanged within individuals throughout life. The purpose of this investigation was to observe velopharyngeal closure in normal subjects and subjects with cleft palate from prepubertal to postpubertal life (i.e. pre-adenoid involution to post-adenoid involution). Changes in velopharyngeal closure patterns were observed in 60% of the normals studied and 30% of the cleft subjects.