Davide Impieri

• Magnadóttir, Thórdís; Impieri, Davide & Frič, Radek (2025). Lukking av bløtvevsdefekter ved kirurgi for åpent ryggmargsbrokk. Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening (Tidsskriftet). ISSN 0029-2001. 145(10). doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.24.0610. Full text in Research Archive
• Suleiman, Nergis Nina; Lien, Ingrid; Akhavi, Mehdi Sadat; Impieri, Davide; Ullensvang, Kyrre & Moen, Jon Magnus [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2025). Ultrasound guidance does not improve local anesthetic distribution in suprazygomatic maxillary nerve blocks in pediatric patients: A clinical, randomized, controlled, observer-blinded, crossover MRI trial. Regional anesthesia and pain medicine. ISSN 1098-7339. p. 1–7. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2025-106439. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background Maxillary nerve blocks are often used as part of a multimodal postoperative pain management regimen for children undergoing cleft palate surgery. It has not been demonstrated yet that ultrasound guidance provides superior local anesthetic distribution and better success rates compared with the landmark-based block technique. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of ultrasound guidance for suprazygomatic maxillary nerve blocks on local anesthetic spread to the pterygopalatine fossa. Methods 20 pediatric patients scheduled for cleft palate repair received bilateral suprazygomatic maxillary blocks. Landmark technique was used on one side and ultrasound guidance on the contralateral side according to randomization. After the block procedure, MRI was used to determine the spread of the local anesthetic. Results Local anesthetic spread to the pterygopalatine fossa with contact to the maxillary nerve (defined as successful block) was observed in 13 (65%) of the landmark-based blocks and in 14 (70%) of the ultrasound-guided blocks (p=0.56). No adverse events or complications were observed during or after the block procedures. Conclusion Appropriate pain management for cleft palate repair can be achieved without the availability of imaging guidance. Future studies should focus on improving the success rate of maxillary nerve blocks, both with and without the aid of sonography.

• Impieri, Davide; Tønseth, Kim Alexander; Hide, Øydis; Feragen, Kristin Judith Billaud; Høgevold, Hans Erik & Filip, Charles (2019). Autologous fat transplantation to the velopharynx for treating mild velopharyngeal insufficiency: A 10-year experience. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. ISSN 1748-6815. 72(8), p. 1403–1410. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2019.03.040. Full text in Research Archive
• Impieri, Davide; Tønseth, Kim Alexander; Hide, Øydis; Brinck, Eli Lisbeth; Høgevold, Hans Erik & Filip, Charles (2018). Impact of orthognathic surgery on velopharyngeal function by evaluating speech and cephalometric radiographs. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. ISSN 1748-6815. 71(12), p. 1786–1795. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2018.07.018. Full text in Research Archive
• Impieri, Davide; Tønseth, Kim Alexander; Hide, Øydis; Feragen, Kristin Judith Billaud; Høgevold, Hans Erik & Filip, Charles (2017). Change in quality of life after treatment of mild velopharyngeal insufficiency with autologous fat transplantation. JPRAS Open. ISSN 2352-5878. 13, p. 126–135. doi: 10.1016/j.jpra.2017.05.003. Full text in Research Archive
• Filip, Charles; Impieri, Davide; Aagenæs, Ingegerd; Breugem, Corstiaan C.; Høgevold, Hans Erik & Særvold, Tone [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2017). Adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome have a different velopharyngeal anatomy with predisposition to velopharyngeal insufficiency. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. ISSN 1748-6815. 71(4), p. 524–536. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2017.09.006. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Aim: To find out if subjects with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DS) have a different velopharyngeal anatomy which could cause velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Methods: A prospective study of 16 subjects >16 years of age with 22q11.2 DS, without overt cleft palate and without previous VPI surgery, and 48 healthy controls >18 years of age were included in the study. Speech was recorded and scored blindly by two independent senior speech therapists. All 64 individuals had MRI scans, which were analyzed blindly by a consultant radiologist. Results: Subjects with 22q11.2 DS had a mild degree of weak pressure consonants (mean score); borderline to mild degree of hypernasality and audible nasal emission (mean score). All controls had normal speech. When comparing subjects (22q11.2 DS) to controls, we found the subjects to have the following: A shorter distance between left and right points of origin of the levator veli palatini muscle (LVP) (p < 0.0001); a more obtuse angle of origin of the LVP (bilaterally) (p < 0.009); a thinner LVP bilaterally and in the midline (p < 0.0001); a shorter LVP bilaterally (p < 0.0001); a shorter velum (p = 0.007); a larger osseous pharyngeal depth:velar length ratio (p = 0.01); a more obtuse anterior cranial base angle (nasion to sella to basion) (p < 0.0001) and posterior cranial base angle (sella to basion to foramen magnum) (p < 0.0001); a wider velopharyngeal width (p = 0.002) and a larger pharyngeal airway volume (p = 0.0007). Conclusion: Compared with healthy controls, adults with 22q11.2 DS showed a different velopharyngeal anatomy, which will make these individuals more prone to VPI.

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