Microsurgical tissue transfer for rehabilitation of the patient with cleft lip and palate.
OBJECTIVE
Three case reports of microsurgically revascularized tissue transfer for secondary closure of complex oronasal fistulae in cleft lip and palate patients are reported. One scapular and two radial forearm flaps were used in that respect; the scapular flap was transferred without a skin paddle and was left for secondary epithelialization whereas iliac crest bone was transplanted in the two patients with the forearm flaps in a further surgical step.


CONCLUSIONS
These microsurgical flaps represent solutions in selected cases of oronasal fistulae in patients with cleft lip and palate with extensive scarring, large defects, or both. Alternative free flaps of the vast spectrum available today, however, also deserve consideration.
Eufinger
Harald
H
Department of Oral and Plastic Maxillofacial Surgery, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany. harald.eufinger@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Machtens
Egbert
E
D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005205:Fascia / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016155:Oral Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures; D012540:Scapula / Q000601:surgery; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*