title: The quantitative evaluation of palatal elongation after Furlow palatoplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Furlow "double-opposing Z-palatoplasty" (FP) operation lengthens the soft palate by using only soft palate tissues. It is used in cleft palate repair and velopharyngeal incompetence. The aim of this study was to define the importance of the length and ratio of the soft palate elongation after FP.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 17 patients who were operated on by the same surgeon using FP. The mean follow-up period time was 4.5 years. Preoperative, intraoperative, and late postoperative velar lengths were measured and elongation ratios were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean intraoperative elongation and ratio were 16.11 mm and 69.05%, and mean late postoperative elongation and ratio were 12.47 mm and 55.47%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant and permanent elongation in velar length was obtained using the FP.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey. eguneren@omu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Ethem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guneren
authors.forename: O Ata
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Uysal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery*