OBJECTIVE: To investigate the main methods used to evaluate the velopharyngeal function in individuals with cleft lip and palate and to determine whether there is an association between the results of videonasoendoscopy and auditory-perceptual assessment. CASE REPORT: Velopharyngeal dysfunction may cause impaired verbal communication skills in individuals with cleft lip and palate; thus, patients with this disorder need to undergo both instrumental and auditory-perceptual assessments. We conducted a systematic review of the literature about instrumental and auditory-perceptual assessments, including an analysis of the results of both evaluation methods. We found 1,300 studies about the topic of interest published between 1990 and 2012. Of these, 56 studies focused on velopharyngeal physiology; 29 studies presented data on velopharyngeal physiology using at least one instrumental assessment and one auditory-perceptual assessment; and 12 studies associated the results of both types of assessments. Only 3 studies described in detail the analysis of both evaluation methods of the velopharyngeal function; however, the association of their findings was not analyzed. CONCLUSION: We found few studies clearly addressing the criteria chosen to investigate velopharyngeal dysfunction and the association between the results of videonasoendoscopy and auditory-perceptual assessment.
