Speech results in adult Swedish patients born with bilateral complete cleft lip and palate

Abstract

Thirty-six adult patients (26 men and 10 women) who had been operated on for bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCLP) were evaluated with regard to long-term follow-up consisting of clinical investigation, perceptual speech analysis, and self-estimation of quality of speech. Twenty-six had had a von Langenbeck repair at the age of 14 months (L-14 group), and 10 a Wardill repair at the age of 18 months (W-18 group). Statistical comparisons between the groups were made by univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. Both groups had a large percentage of hypernasality despite a high incidence of velopharyngeal flaps in both. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding any of the analysed speech variables. The outcomes of hypernasality, nasal escape, velopharyngeal friction sounds, hyponasality, and general impression indicate, however, a slightly better result for the L-14 group.

• Bilateral cleft lip and palate
• von Langenbeck
• Wardill
• speech
• long-term results
• adults