Investigation of anatomical and physiologic changes associated with use of the pedicled buccal fat pad graft used during primary palatoplasty

The effect the BFP has on palatal and velopharyngeal anatomy upon healing is currently unknown. Furthermore, no studies to date have applied MRI methods to examine the speech and outcome of a surgical technique, specifically a pedicled BFP graft at the time of primary palatoplasty. The purpose of this study is to use MRI to examine the surgical impact of the BFP on velar composition and velopharyngeal anatomy after it is placed at the palatine aponeurosis at the time of primary palatoplasty across two age groups. These findings will be compared to our pre-existing database of aged-matched infants and children with normal velopharyngeal anatomy. Data obtained from this research will provide significant advances in the field by filling a gap present in the literature related to this population. The long-term goal of this study is to examine anatomical changes that are more favorable for adequate velopharyngeal closure to improve surgical outcomes for individuals with cleft palate.

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