Velopharyngeal Insufficiency (VPI) After UPPP or Uvula Excision Surgery

Image 1 : Normal open position One of the main risks of uvula excision and UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) surgery to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea is velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). This complication is when the soft palate is not able to adequately lift and close off the back of the nose from the throat.  When the VPI is large, food and liquids can come out the nose during swallow and there may be a hyper-nasal speech quality. When the VPI is very small, a patient ma…

6/10/2016 0

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New Video on Treatment of Hyper-Nasal Speech by Injection

Our office has created a new video that we have uploaded that shows how hyper-nasal speech can be corrected via injection of filler agents under endoscopic guidance. Keep in mind that this procedure ONLY works with small velopharyngeal insufficiency . Hyper-nasal speech  occurs when there is too much nasal airflow during speech as opposed to hypo-nasal speech (ie,  nasal obstruction ) which occurs when there is little or no nasal airflow during speech. In either case, the voice sounds &qu…

11/13/2012 0

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