Objective: To observe the mobility of levator veli palatini muscle during speech in patients with repaired cleft palate and cleft lip.
Methods: MRI of the levator veli palatini muscle was taken during speech and breathing in three groups of patients: control group (cleft lip only, 8 cases), velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI) group (7 cases), velopharyngeal competence (VPC) group (10 cases). The length and the angle of the levator veli palatini muscle were compared.
Results: The changes of the length and the angle during speech were not significantly different among the three groups (P > 0.05). The ratio of length changes when speaking "a", "i", and "m" are (13.5 ± 11.7)%, (11.1 ± 10.8)%, (8.2 ± 14.3)%. Mean angle of pronouncing "a", "i", and "m" are [(43.18 ± 4.984)°, (43.08 ± 4.879)°, (39.48 ± 5.046)°]. The levator veli palatini muscle contracted progressively form "m", "i", to "a".
Conclusions: The mobility of the levator veli palatini muscle in patients with repaired cleft palate and cleft lip only is basically the same.