To study the growth characteristics of the nasopharynx as a structural componentinvolved in velopharyngeal function, 61 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP group) and 82 non-cleft controls (NCC group) were compared with respect to growth of the bony nasopharynx. All subjects were divided into four developmental stages according to age (stage 1: at 4 years of age, stage 2: at 8 years of age, stage 3: at 12 years of age, and stage 4: at 17 years of age). Measurements of the antero-posterior and the vertical dimensions were derived from reference lines and points on lateral cephalograms, and the data were analyzed by multivariate analysis and the t-test.
The results showed that growth-related changes of the cranial base, the posterior maxilla, and cervical vertebrae were independent, and that the nasopharyngeal triangle which represents the bony limits of the nasopharynx (Ho: cranial base, PMP: posterior maxilla, At: atlas), demonstrated harmonious increase with stage in both the NCC group and the UCLP group. However the PMP in the UCLP group was located more posteriorly and superiorly than that in the NCC group.
