03/22/2024
PALATAL FLUTTER SIGN: EXPLAINED CLEARLY!
Palatal flutter is a test to predict the likely results of treatment in patients who snore.
Have the patient attempt to make a snoring sound with their mouth open, then have them perform lingual palatal suction (LPS) and attempt to make the snoring sound again with their tongue held against the palate.
Sign (+) Positive / Quiet: Patient is able to create palatal flutter noise with the mouth slightly open (mouth breathing) but is unable to create the same noise with the mouth closed, tongue up, nasal breathing*. (*=gentle nasal breathing, not strong nasal snorting).
Sign (-) Negative/ Loud: Patient can create the palatal flutter noise with the mouth slightly open (mouth breathing) and is able to create the same noise with the mouth closed, tongue up, nasal breathing*.
If they are QUIET with the tongue-up (POSITIVE SIGN), they will probably snore much less when they keep their tongue-up!! Consider mouth taping, myofunctional therapy, nasal hygiene AND/OR nasal, tonsil, soft-palate, tongue-tie (soft tissue) procedures.
If they are still LOUD with the tongue-up (NEGATIVE SIGN), then they will probably need a more thorough evaluation to fully resolve the snoring. Consider mouth taping, myofunctional therapy, nasal hygiene AND/OR nasal, tonsil, soft-palate, tongue-tie (soft tissue) procedures.…. as well as possible palate expansion, weight loss, oral appliance therapy, CPAP, jaw surgery.
What if you cannot flutter your palate? Test does not apply to your case. Probably do not have excessive soft palate redundancy. And, if snoring or obstruction is present, may be related to other sites of obstruction: nasal passage, lateral pharyngeal wall, tongue-base, epiglottis.
Follow and !
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Reference: Adapted by Dr. Zaghi from Pang-Rotenberg sign—snoring surgery prognosticator: A prospective clinical trial of 153 patients. http://doi.org/10.1002/lary.25392