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Study: Speaking, eating possible after tonsil cancer surgery with reconstruction

A new technique for reconstructing the palate after tonsil cancer surgery has been shown to maintain patients' ability to speak clearly and eat most foods. The technique, developed at Michigan Medicine, separates the mouth from the nasal cavity and closes during swallowing, allowing patients to recover their complex throat functions.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalArchives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery·DateSep 21, 2009

Study finds genetic variant plays role in cleft lip

Researchers have identified a genetic variant associated with isolated cleft lip, which affects approximately one in five cases. The study found that the variant disrupts proper expression of the IRF6 gene, leading to disruptions in AP2 binding and contributing to the development of cleft lip.

SourceUniversity of Iowa·JournalNature Genetics·DateOct 6, 2008

Genetic profile reveals susceptibility to cleft palate

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine have identified a series of genetic mutations associated with significant risk for cleft palate and other dental abnormalities. The study, published in Genetics in Medicine, analyzed DNA sequences from over 500 individuals and found more than a dozen gene mutations...

Cleft palate in fetal mice prevented by treating

Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a technique to prevent cleft palates in fetal mice by injecting pregnant mothers with a small molecule. This breakthrough raises hopes that similar vaccination-type techniques may one day be used to prevent many types of human birth defects.

SourceStanford Medicine·JournalNature·DateFeb 11, 2007

Childhood sleep-disordered breathing severity related to tonsil size, oropharyngeal volume

Research reveals that children with narrow retropalatal air spaces have more severe SDB due to significantly larger tonsil and soft palate CSAs. The study found a significant correlation between OAHI and oropharyngeal volume, indicating the importance of pharyngeal geometry and soft tissue anatomy in determining SDB severity.

SourceAmerican Physiological Society·JournalJournal of Applied Physiology·DateDec 3, 2003