A salvage procedure in cleft palate repair: suturing nasal mucosa directly to palatine process.
OBJECTIVE
Palatal fistulas are among the complications of cleft palate repair requiring additional surgery. Suturing the nasal mucosa and mucoperiosteal flaps together in a tension-free manner to create a double-layered closure in the hard palate is one of the most important points in prevention of dehiscence and fistula formation. In this report, we describe a salvage procedure to repair nasal mucosa that might be lacerated while being freed from the upper surface of the palatal process.


METHODS
To restore the nasal lining, an ipsilateral vomer mucoperiosteal flap or the opposite nasal mucosa flap is advanced to the palatine bone and sutured directly to the palatal process in order to guarantee an intact cleft palate repair.


RESULTS
This method is an easy, simple, and time-saving procedure. It should be a useful addition to the armamentarium of every plastic surgeon, especially those working as consultants in training units.
Tunçbilek
Gökhan
G
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, 06100, Turkey. gtunc@ada.net.tr
Konaş
Ersoy
E
Ozgür
Figen
F
D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005402:Fistula / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome