Objective: To determine whether performing tonsillectomy at the time of Furlow palatoplasty for the treatment of cleft palate related velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) incurs increased surgical complications or compromises speech outcomes.
Design: A retrospective review of patients who had Furlow palatoplasty and the outcomes of surgery in the treatment of cleft palate related VPI.
Setting: A single academic center between January 2015 and January 2022.
Participants: Patients with submucous cleft (SMC) palate or patients with prior straight line primary palatoplasty presenting with VPI.
Interventions: Simultaneous conversion Furlow palatoplasty and tonsillectomy.
Main outcome measure(s): Primary outcome measures include preoperative and postoperative Modified Pittsburgh Weighted Speech Scale (mPWSS), and postoperative surgical complications.
Results: Eight patients (25%) underwent Furlow palatoplasty and concomitant tonsillectomy, while 24 patients (75%) underwent Furlow palatoplasty alone. A significantly lower median postoperative mPWSS score, corresponding to better velopharyngeal function, was reported for patients in the Furlow-tonsillectomy group (0, IQR 0-0) compared to the Furlow only group (1, IQR 0-9, p = 0.046). No surgical complications were encountered in either group. Five patients (20.8%) in the Furlow only group required subsequent surgery for persistent VPI. No patients in the Furlow-tonsillectomy group required additional surgical treatment for VPI (0%, p = 0.16).
Conclusions: Tonsillectomy at time of Furlow palatoplasty is utilized in patients with both VPI and baseline tonsillar hypertrophy to lessen the risk of postoperative obstructive breathing. Tonsillectomy performed concurrently with Furlow palatoplasty is safe, without increased risk of surgical complications, and does not compromise post-Furlow palatoplasty speech outcomes.
Keywords: cleft palate; double opposing Z-plasty; velopharyngeal dysfunction.