title: Le Fort I osteotomy and the use of bilateral bichat bulla adipose flap: an effective new technique for reconstructing oronasal communications due to cocaine abuse.
abstract: The aim of the study was to describe a new and effective method for reconstructing small- and medium-sized oronasal communications in cases of deficient blood supply of oronasal mucosa.A male patient, aged 45, was presented with a hard palate defect due to chronic cocaine inhalation. The defect was corrected using bilateral Bichat bulla adipose flap and a Le Fort I osteotomy. The surgical technique was described, together with its advantages. Surgery lasted 2 hours. The reconstructive technique had been easy to execute. Six months after the surgery, the defect has been corrected without complications.Le Fort I osteotomy and the use of a bilateral Bichat bulla adipose flap is an effective technique to correct small- and medium-sized palatal defects not solvable with simple oral mucosa flaps. The technique is easy to execute and it showed a high efficacy with minimal impact on the patient's esthetic appearance.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Chirurgia Maxillofacciale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pelo
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Petrillo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tassiello
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Longobardi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boniello
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016155:Oral Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps