[Wavy incision of the soft palate. Modification of intravelar veloplasty].
OBJECTIVE
The problem with primary soft palate repair is shortness of the soft palate and a soft tissue deficit in this region. The authors introduce a modification of the intravelar veloplasty allowing lengthening of the soft palate at the time of primary closure.


METHODS
The "soft palate wavy incision procedure" combines a wavy or undulating type of incision at the velar cleft margins with intravelar veloplasty. In 12 patients with complete clefts of the palate, postoperative breathing and speech was analyzed 3 years later. The investigator did not know whether a modification of the common procedure had been performed in these patients or not.


RESULTS
It was found that the soft palate wavy line procedure is easy to perform and closure in three layers is possible even in wide clefts of the soft palate. No postoperative fistula was observed. An average lengthening of the soft palate of about 56% (24-83%) was achieved, measured immediately at the end of surgery. Three years later the patients have good speech results following this technique.


CONCLUSIONS
Experience has shown that the soft palate wavy incision procedure is straightforward, safe, and easy. It seems that this technique leads to better results than classic intravelar veloplasty. This paper is only a first report, and further investigations are necessary.
Henkel
K O
KO
Klinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Plastische Gesichtschirurgie, Universität Rostock, Stempelstrasse 13, 18057 Rostock. Kai-Olaf.Henkel@med.uni-rostock.de
Dieckmann
O
O
Gundlach
K K
KK
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology