Use of a buccal musculomucosal flap to close palatal fistulae after cleft palate repair.
Forty-two patients aged 4 to 13 (mean 7 years) had palatal fistulae closed with a buccal musculomucosal flap. The pedicle was divided approximately 2 weeks after the initial operation. Complete closure at the first attempt was obtained in 69% of the cases though, when the fistulae were large and extended to the anterior hard palate, the results were not as good (36%). Almost no detrimental after-effects occurred at the donor site. The buccal musculomucosal flap was found to be a useful alternative to a tongue flap.
Nakakita
N
N
Department of Plastic Surgery, Kanagawa Children's Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan.
Maeda
K
K
Ando
S
S
Ojimi
H
H
Utsugi
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D002610:Cheek; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps