• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.284-287
• /
• 2023

The ultimate goal of cleft palate repair is to achieve an intact palate with the separation of the oral and nasal cavities. However, some patients develop an oronasal fistula in the secondary palate after palatoplasty. Postoperatively, a secondary palatal oronasal fistula may develop, leading to functional problems. In this study, we describe a patient with recurrent oronasal fistula and alveolar cleft with multiple failed previous reconstructions at another clinic. The oronasal fistula and alveolar cleft were repaired using a tongue flap and an iliac bone graft, respectively. The patient demonstrated excellent clinical progress with no recurrence of the oronasal fistula at the 1-year follow-up.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2009

Oronasal fistula are a well-known complication of surgical treatment of cleft palate, occurring most frequently in the alveolus and hard palate. Previous reports have demonstrated that oronasal fistulas, particularly if greater than l cm in diameter, had an adverse effect on speech. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between the size of the fistula and the influence on velopharyngeal function. The site and size of the fistula were indicated on graph paper with calipers and measured in $mm^2$. Speech assessment was carried out using a Nasometer, VPI articulation differential test, spectrography. Patient whose fistulas affected their speech had significantly larger fistulas than those whose fistulas did not. The study shows that the larger the fistula, the greater the risk of hypernasality and nasal emission, but even small fistulas can cause speech problems. If obstruction of the nasal passage is eliminated in a patient with a previously asymptomatic fistula, it may result in a fistula becoming symptomatic, resulting in hypernasality and nasal emission. In conclusion, even small fistulas can influence speech production and should be considered before any treatment is planned. The study lends support to early closure of oronasal fistulas, particularly before pharyngeal flap surgery is contemplated.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.748-752
• /
• 2007

Purpose: The goal of palatoplasty is focused on two points. One is to close the palatal defect completely, and the other to create a velopharyngeal system for normal speech. While established methods such as pushback palatoplasty or double opposing Z palatoplasty are used in wide cleft palate repair, sequelae such as maxillary hypoplasia or oronasal fistula may result. Therefore, when palatoplasty with buccinator myomucosal flap is used in the case of wide cleft palates, maxillary hypoplasia and oronasal fistula is reduced and optimal results are obtained. Methods: From October 2005 to December 2006, four children with wide complete cleft palate underwent unilateral buccinator myomucosal flap and intravelar veloplaty. Mean age at cleft repair was 15 months, and mean cleft size was 2.15 cm. The patients underwent intravelar veloplasty and palatoplasty was done using unilateral buccinator myomucosal flap. Results: The patients, after mean 10 months of follow-up observation, showed no signs of oronasal fistula resulting from flap tension. The shape and color similar to normal oral mucosa was obtained, and velopharyngeal function was acquired. Conclusion: When intravelar veloplasty and palatoplasty with unilateral buccinator myomucosal flap is done on wide cleft palates, postoperative speech function is optimal, velopharyngeal incompetence is effectively corrected, and sequelae resulting from pushback palatoplasty and double opposing Z-plasty, such as maxillary hypoplasia and oronasal fistula, is reduced.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.267-272
• /
• 2009

Bone grafting the alveolar cleft allows for stability and continuity of the dental arch, provides bone for eruption of permanent teeth or placement of dental implants, and gives support to the lateral ala of the nose. Closure of residual oronasal fistula can occur simultaneously. Repair of alveolar clefts can occur at a variety of stages defined as primary, early secondary, secondary, and late. Most centers perform this surgery as secondary bone grafting. Autogenous bone provides osteogenesis, osteoinduction and conduction and is recommended for grafting to the cleft alveolus and several donor sites are available. The surgeon should select the best flap design considering the amount of mucosa available, blood supply and tension-free closure, and the extent of the oronasal communication. The authors provide a comprehensive understanding of alveolar clefts and their repair by reviewing the historical perspective, objectives for treatment, timing, source of graft, presurgical orthodontics, surgical techniques, postoperative care, and complications.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.309-313
• /
• 2018

Oronasal fistulae (ONF) could remain after surgery in some patients with cleft palate. ONF ultimately requires intraoral surgery, which may lead to perioperative airway obstruction. Tongue flap surgery is a technique used to repair ONF. During the second surgery for performing tongue flap division, the flap transplanted from the tongue dorsum to the palate of the patient acts as an obstacle to airway management, which poses a great challenge for anesthesiologists. In particular, anesthesiologists may face difficulty in airway evaluation and patient cooperation during general anesthesia for tongue flap division surgery in pediatric patients. The authors report a case of airway management using a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope during general anesthesia for tongue flap division surgery in a 6-year-old child.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.209-213
• /
• 2021

Primary palatoplasty for cleft palate places patients at high risk for scarring, altered vascularity, and persistent tension. Palatal fistulas are a challenging complication of primary palatoplasty that typically form around the hard palate-soft palate junction. Repairing palatal fistulas, particularly wide fistulas, is extremely difficult because there are not many choices for closure. However, a few techniques are commonly used to close the remaining fistula after primary palatoplasty. Herein, we report the revision of a palatal fistula using a pedicled buccal fat pad and palatal lengthening with a buccinator myomucosal flap and sphincter pharyngoplasty to treat a patient with a wide palatal fistula. Tension-free closure of the palatal fistula was achieved, as well as velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) correction. This surgical method enhanced healing, minimized palatal contracture and shortening, and reduced the risk of infection. The palate healed with mucosalization at 2 weeks, and no complications were noted after 4 years of follow-up. Therefore, these flaps should be considered as an option for closure of large oronasal fistulas and VPI correction in young patients with wide palatal defects and VPI.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.75-79
• /
• 2021

Bardach described a closure of the cleft utilizing the arch of the palate, which provides the length needed for closure and is most effective only in narrow clefts. Herein, we describe a case where we utilized Bardach's two-flap technique with a vital and easy modification, done to allow closure of a wide cleft palate and to prevent oronasal fistula formation at the junction of the hard and soft palate, which are otherwise difficult to manage with conventional flaps. The closed palate showed healthy healing, palatal lengthening, and no oronasal regurgitation. We advise using this modification to achieve the goals of palatal repair in difficult cases where tension-free closure would otherwise be achieved with more complex flap surgical techniques, such as free microvascular tissue transfer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
• /
• 2007.05a
• /
• pp.95-95
• /
• 2007

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.42
• /
• pp.8.1-8.5
• /
• 2020

Background: The cause of maxillary growth restriction in patients with cleft lip and palate remains controversial. While studies have investigated the effects surgical technique and timing have on maxillary growth, few focus on patients with isolated cleft palate (ICP). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact palate repair and its associated complications may have on maxillary growth. Methods: A retrospective chart review of ICP patients who underwent palatoplasty from 1962 to 1999 at Akron Children's Hospital was performed. Patient demographics, Veau type, age at primary repair, closure technique, presence of fistula or velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), number of palatal operations, maxillary hypoplasia (MH) frequency, and follow-up were recorded. Exclusion criteria included patients with cleft lip, submucous cleft, or syndromes. Results: Twenty-nine non-syndromic ICP patients were identified; 62% (n = 18) had Veau type 1 and 38% (n = 11) had Veau type 2. All patients underwent 2-flap or Furlow palatoplasty with mobilization of mucoperiosteal flaps. Vomerine flaps were used in all Veau 2 cleft palate closures. Palatoplasty was performed at a mean age of 19.9 ± 8.2 months. Average follow-up was 209 ± 66.5 months. The rate of VPI was 59% (n = 17) and the rate of oronasal fistula was 14% (n = 4). Conclusions: There was a low incidence of MH despite complications after initial palate closure. Our results seem to suggest that age at palate closure, type of cleft palate, and type of surgical technique may not be associated with MH. Additionally, subsequent procedures and complications after primary palatoplasty such as VPI and palatal fistula may not restrict maxillary growth.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.243-249
• /
• 1997

The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical availability of a variety of intraoral local flaps in reconstruction of oral soft tissue defects, Forty patients with oral soft tissue defects were treated by tongue, buccinator, palatal, labial, facial artery musculomucosal, buccal fat pad, and masseter muscle crossover flap. Total 43 intraoral flaps were used to reconstruct a variety of intraoral soft tissue defects, such as oronasal fistula, oroantral fistula, traumatic deformities and other. The age of patients ranged from 7 to 72 years, with mean age of 39.6 years. Follow up period ranged from 2 to 66 months, mean follow up period of 21.6 months. There were 9 complications, of which four were partial necrosis, three infections, one total necrosis, and 1 speech problem. Except for total necrosis, most of the recipient sited healed uneventually without severe morbidity. We consider that a variety of intraoral local flaps can be available for reconstruction of small of moderate large intraoral soft tissue defects.