The turbinate flap for oronasal fistula closure.
Extensive scarring may limit available local tissue for closure of the nasal epithelial lining in oronasal fistulae, as frequently seen in cleft patients. A pedicled mucoperiosteal flap harvested from the inferior turbinate can be a valuable alternative to close such defects. Due to dense vascularity of the conchal mucosa, an inferior turbinate flap with an average size of 9.9 cm may be harvested. This is illustrated in a case of a large nasovestibular fistula in a patient after premaxillary osteoplasty and anatomic studies.
Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Freiburg University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany. vincenzo.penna@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Vincenzo
V
Penna
Holger
H
Bannasch
G Björn
GB
Stark
D000328:Adult; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014420:Turbinates / Q000637:transplantation*