title: Comparison of the rate of palatal fistulation after two-flap and four-flap palatoplasty.
abstract: We studied 73 repairs of cleft palate (48 cleft lip and palate and 25 isolated cleft palate) done during a 7-year period (January 1996-October 2002) by the same plastic reconstructive surgeon. Two-flap or four-flap palatoplasty techniques were used to provide tension-free, three-layer repairs for patients with cleft palate. Their ages ranged from 10-244 months (mean 27). The postoperative follow-up period ranged from 6 to 60 months (mean 21). There was a palatal fistulation rate of 7% (5/73). There were two fistulas after two-flap palatoplasty (5%, 2/39), and three fistulas after four-flap palatoplasty (9%, 3/34). The mean diameter was 7.8 mm (range 5.1 to 13). There was no significant difference between the two techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Gaziantep University, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey. mehmetpitt1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bekerecioglu
authors.forename: Daughan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bulut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016155:Oral Fistula / Q000209:etiology*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods