Can a pharyngeal bulb prosthesis eliminate hypernasal speech in individuals with hypodynamic velopharynx?

ABSTRACT Purpose: to investigate the effectiveness of a pharyngeal bulb prosthesis to eliminate hypernasality in patients with operated cleft palate presenting with diagnosis of hypodynamic velopharynx. Methods: twenty patients with cleft palate, ages 11-40 years, presenting hypodynamic velopharynx participated in the study. Patients had their speech audio recorded twice, with and without prosthesis, simultaneously with nasometry. Three speech-pathologists rated the presence and absence of hypernasality. Perceptual and nasometric data without and with prosthesis were compared, using the McNemar Test (p27% without prosthesis and 27% with prosthesis, 17 (85%), scores >27% in both conditions, and 1(5%), scores