• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.144-148
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• 2006

The velopharyngeal dysfunction usually occurs in patients with previous operation of the cleft palate or with submucosal cleft palate. In case of velopharyngeal dysfunction without cleft palate, no study has been made when it comes to operative method and postoperative results. Here, we would like to present the operative methods and the postoperative results with the cases we've experienced. This study is based on seven cases of velopharyngeal dysfunction without cleft palate from 1999 to 2004. Analysis of age, sex, etiology, operative methods, satisfaction rate and speech evaluation was done. The patients were 3 males and 4 females, with an age ranged from 10 to 28 at the time of surgery. The follow-up period was more than six months. One case had bifid uvula, another had atypical anomaly in palate, and five cases had no anatomical abnormality. The palatal lengthening was done on one patient, the levator muscle repositioning on another patient and to the rest of them, the superiorly based posterior pharyngeal flap was done. It was difficult to determine the etiology of the velopharyngeal dysfunction without cleft palate. The speech improvement and the satisfaction rate of the patients and parents were diverse. Although the authors had a problem with statistical analysis between the operative age and the speech improvement, it was reasonable to perform a surgical operation because postoperative speech improvement was observed in most cases regardless of age. There is little statistical correlation, but significantly higher outcomes were observed in palatal lengthening and levator muscle repositioning than in pharyngeal flap.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.546-551
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• 2006

Purpose: The reconstruction of oropharyngeal defect after cancer surgery is very difficult because of their complicated structure and the functional importance to prevent velopharyngeal incompetence. In this article we investigated affecting factors of velopharyngeal function after reconstruction and a fundamental rule of reconstruction for saving their functions such as swallowing, speeching and breathing. Methods: We classified 18 patients into three group under Kimata's grouping. Type I defect(6 patients) was healed by primary closure or secondary intention. In Type II or III defect, two operation methods were used - the folded flap(8 patients) and modified Gehanno method(4 patients), which include a lateral-posterior pharyngeal rotation-advancement flap. We evaluated wound dehiscence between the flap and the soft palate, speech intelligibility using Hirose's method, regurgitation during oral feeding, and hypernasality. Results: Most of type I or II defects patients recovered satisfactory velopharyngeal function. But, in patients with type III defects we found wound dehiscence, worse speech function, and common velopharyngeal incompetence. Conclusion: The large defect size and presence of wound dehiscence are major factors of postoperative velopharyngeal function. We conclude that folded flap or modified Gehanno method is a good reconstructive operation method for broad contact between the flap and defect site, preventing wound problem.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.432-435
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• 2007

Purpose: The jejunal free flap has the shorter ischemic time than other flap and requires a laparotomy to harvest it. As the evaluation of the perfusion the buried flap is very important, the perfusion of the buried jejunal free flap requires monitoring for its salvage. We tried to improve the monitoring flap method in the jejunal free flap and examined its usefulness. Methods: From March 2002 to March 2006, the monitoring flap method was applied to 4 cases in 8 jejunal free flaps for the pharyngeal and cervical esophageal reconstructions. The distal part of the jejunal flap was exposed without suture fixation through cervical wound for monitoring its perfusion. The status of perfusion was judged by the color change of jejunal mucosa and mesentery. If necessary, pin prick test was performed. Doppler sonography was applied to mesenteric pedicle of the monitoring flap in case of suspicious abnormal circulation. Results: The monitoring flap shows no change in 3 cases, but the congestion happened in one case at the 12 hours after the operation. This congestion was caused by the twisting or kinking of the mesenteric pedicle of the monitoring flap. So, we fixed up the monitoring flap close to adjacent cervical skin for prevention of rotation. Finally, the main part of transferred jejunal flap was intact. Conclusion: The success of a jejunal free flap depends on close postoperative monitoring and early detection of vascular compromise. So, various monitoring methods have been tried, for instance, direct visualization using a fiberoptic pharyngoscope, through a Silastic window placed in the neck flap, or external surface monitoring with an Doppler sonography, use of a buried monitoring probe. But, all of the above have their own shortcomings of simplicity, non-invasiveness, reliability and etc. In our experience, monitoring flap can be a accurate and reliable method.

• 대한두개안면성형외과학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.102-106
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• 2011

Purpose: It is accepted universally that correction of the cleft lip nasal deformity requires multiple stages of surgery. Following primary lip repair in infancy or early childhood, secondary surgery to improve the deformity of the lip and nose is frequently necessary. A suitable surgical procedure to correct the accompanying deformity, such as cleft palate and alveolus, must be carried out at an appropriate age. In developing countries, it is common for patients with cleft lip nasal deformity to present severe secondary deformities in adolescence, because of poor follow-up and inappropriate surgery. Methods: The first patient was a 12 year old Mongolian boy. He presented prominent lip scar, short lip, wide columella, asymmetric nostril, palatal fistula, cleft alveolus, and velopharyngeal incompetence. He underwent cheilorhinoplasty, transpositional flap, alveoloplasty by iliac bone graft, and sphincter pharyngoplasty. On follow-up, a bilateral maxillary hypoplasia and a class III malocclusion developed. He underwent LeFort I osteotomy and maxillary advancement at the age of 16 years. The second patient was an 18 year old Eastern Russian girl. She presented with a deviated nose, right alar base depression, short lip, protrusion on vermilion, large palatal fistula, and severe VPI due to short palate. She underwent the combined procedure of cheilorhinoplasty, corrective rhinoplasty, tongue flap for palatal fistula, and superiorly based pharyngeal flap. And the tongue flap was detached at postoperative 3 weeks. Results: The overall results have been extremely pleasing and satisfactory to patients. There were no postoperative complications. Conclusion: We discovered the one stage operation for radical correction was sufficient procedure to provide excellent clinical outcomes in patients with severe cleft lip nose deformity.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 2000

Background and Objectives: Various flaps are using for reconstruction of hypopharyngeal and esophageal defect. However, complication and indication of each flap are not fully analyzed. Patient and Methods: Records of 52 hypopharyngeal cancer patients who had surgical treatment and 13 other head and neck cancer patients who underwent hypopharyngeal and/or esophageal reconstruction with flap were retrospectively analyzed. Eighty three percent(54 cases) of patients needed reconstruction other than primary pharyngeal closure. Five split thickness skin graft, 1 pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, 20 forearm free flap, 13 jejunal free flap, 15 gastric pull up were used. Result: Flap failure was noted in 2 cases who had subsequent gastric transposition. Wound dehiscence and fistula were most common problem of forearm free flap. Most fistulas were developed in patients with conduit type reconstruction of forearm flap while there wasn't any fistula in patient with patch type reconstruction. Stenosis of lower anastomosis was the frequent problem of jejunal transfer. Gastric pull-up has frequent com-plication of stomal stenosis. All but three patients had reached oral feeding postoperatively. Conclusion: Based on this study, forearm flap is effective in partial hypopharyngeal defect while jejunum is the choice for circumferential defect. Gastric pull-up is for combined esophageal defect.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.159-162
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• 1995

Five patients underwent surgery to treat velopharyngeal incompetence with an inferiorly based pharyngeal flap, and were evaluated postoperatively with a nasoendoscopy. In all patients, velopharyngeal closure occurred during speech of fricative sounds and swallowing. During speech of closed vowel sounds, patients younger than 10 years of age, compared with patients more than 20 years of age, demonstrated a grater improvement in velopharyngeal closure postoperatively. The present study supported the concept that an early pharyngoplasty should be made to obtain improved speech and articulation.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.529-545
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• 1996

In order to find the distribution, causes and treatments of cleft lip and/or palate, I analyzed 113 patients of cleft lip and/or palate who were treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Chunbuk, KOREA from September 1984 to August 1995. The obtained results were as follows. 1. In total 113 patients of cleft lip and/or palate, male patients were 63 cases (56%) and female patients were 50 cases (44%). 2. In distribution of cleft lip and/or palate, cleft lip patients were 30 cases (27%), cleft palate patient were 23 cases (20%) and cleft lip and palate patients were 60 cases (53%). 3. Unilateral cleft lip patients (78 cases: 87%) were larger than bilateral cleft lip. In unilateral cleft lip patients, lip side cleft lip patients (45 cases: 50%) were larger than right side cleft lip patients (33 cases: 37%). 4. Possible causes of cleft lip and/or palate were related with familial tendency, drug intoxication, malnutrition, old maternal age, stress and hypoxia during 4-8 weeks of pregnancy period. 5. The favorite treated method of cleft lip was Millard rotation-advancement method. Probably the most popular operated period was 3 months. 6. The useful operating technique of cleft palate was Wardill V-Y flap method. The most popular period has been 18 to 24 months. 7. In 11 patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency, hypernasality decreased by superior based pharyngeal flap pharyngoplasty. 8. Cleft alveolus was treated with autogenous and allogeneic bone graft. The most appropriate operation period was 9 to 11 years.

• 대한구순구개열학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.97-108
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• 2012

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is improper closure of velopharynx during the phonation and swallowing due to various causes, especially appeared in cleft palate patients. The several surgical techniques and speech therapy can be considered in treatment of VPI. The surgical techniques such as Furlow's double opposing Z-plasty, pharyngeal flap, push-back palatoplasty, etc. have been widely used when the speech therapy is not so much effective. However, there is considerable variability in the methods for evaluation and in success criteria making difficult to compare among surgical techniques. This article reviewed the recent articles about comparing the surgical techniques in treatment of VPI. Although there is no significant difference in speech assessment by speech pathologist, Furlow's double opposing Z-plasty is a useful technique especially diminishing hypernasality and nasal emission.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.24-26
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• 2010

Necrotizing sialometaplasia was defined by Abrams et al. in 1973 as a reactive necrotizing inflammatory process involving minor salivary glands. Prior to recognition of necrotizing sialometaplasia as a benign, self-limited lesion, it was all too often diagnosed as either squamous cell carcinoma or mucoepidermoid carcinoma and had been improperly treated because of its clinical and histological resemblance to malignancy. We report two cases of necrotizing sialometaplasia. One case involved a 56-year-old female who developed a necrotizing sialometaplasia in association with palato-pharyngeal flap wound after excision of soft palate cancer and reconstruction. Another case involved a 55-year-old male who had a soft palate mass.

• 대한구순구개열학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 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.