Nasopharyngeal pressure gradients during non-phonetic activities of the velopharyngeal valve. Part II

The subject of our study is the non-phonetic activities of the velopharyngeal valve (VPV). The VPVs of 10 patients were assessed by nasendoscopic examinations. The nasopharyngeal pressure fluctuations were recorded by catheters placed into the nasopharynx. Simultaneous pressure created in the oral cavity was measured as well. In Part I we discussed the swallowing activities and here we describe sucking and blowing activities. The pressure wave tracings and measurement with the nasendoscopic examination provide us with new information which permits a further study of the non-phonetic activity of the VPV and a correlation with its abnormal speech activity.