Benchmarking Speech, Velopharyngeal Function Outcomes and Surgical Characteristics Following the Sommerlad Protocol and Palate Repair Technique

Objective: To report speech and velopharyngeal function (VPF) outcomes, and surgical characteristics, at age 5 following early complete palate closure using the Sommerlad protocol. Design: A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional consecutive series. Setting: A regional twin site center; a district general hospital and tertiary children's hospital. Participants: Between 1993 and 2006, 877 participants underwent surgery; 712 (81%) were eligible for inclusion; 391 (55%) were included, 321 (45%) excluded. Thirteen percent had bilateral cleft lip and palate (CLP), 40% unilateral CLP, and 47% isolated cleft palate. Intervention: Lip and vomerine flap repair at 3 months of age (BCLP, UCLP) with soft palate closure using radical muscle dissection and retropositioning at a mean age of 6.6 months, range 4 to 23 months, as described and undertaken by Sommerlad. Outcome Measures: Velopharyngeal Composite (VPC) CAPS-A and articulation summary scores derived from analysis using the Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented. Results: A VPC-SUM CAPS-A score of "0" was found in 97% reflecting adequate VPF; 73% had no cleft articulation difficulties. The BCLP group had the poorest articulation. Secondary speech surgery rate was 2.6% and 10.7% had fistula repair. Levator muscle quality and degree of retropositioning was associated with speech outcomes related to VPF. 2.6% had current features of VPI. Conclusions: Complete palate closure by around 6 months of age by the surgeon who described the technique led to excellent perceived VPF and very good speech outcomes at age 5, with less speech therapy and secondary speech surgery than commonly reported. These findings serve as a benchmark for the Sommerlad protocol and technique.