title: A bilateral musculomucosal buccal flap method for cleft palate surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article introduces a new technique for the repair of cleft palate with a bilateral musculomucosal buccal flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1990 to 2001, 26 patients with cleft palate of different types were treated for the repair of cleft palate with the bilateral musculomucosal buccal flaps. Their age ranged from 3 to 12 years (mean age, 6.4 years). They were followed up from 2 to 8 years. The velopharyngeal closure was examined by nasopharyngoscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The postoperative results of all the patients who could be followed up were clearly satisfactory without any postoperative complications such as dehiscence or perforation or maxillary deformity. The velopharyngeal closure was satisfactory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Repair of cleft palate with bilateral musculomucosal buccal flaps is a very useful method for repairing cleft palate and possibly reduces postoperative complications of dehiscence, perforation, and growth retardation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guan-fu
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lai-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome