title: [Repairing of palatum durum defects following maxillectomy using nasal septum tissue flap].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the effect of repairing of palatum durum defects following maxillectomy using nasal septum tissue flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients underwent maxillectomy and the defects were repaired by using full (16 cases) and partial (10 cases) nasal septum tissue flaps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one patients were healed by first intention, recovering swallowing and pronunciation function. Five patients suffered from fistula holes, and 2 healed after dressing while 2 of the other 3 patients healed after second suturing with 1 still got a small fistula hole. Facial deformity include 4 exterior cheek mild concave and 6 complained about unsuited false teeth and no dorsal subsidence was found. The 3, 5, 10 year survival rate was 46.2%, 30.8% and 11.5% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Repairing defects with nasal septum tissue flap has advantages. Nasal septum can not be invaded easily, and the material can be got with ease, with rich blood supply, being resistant to infection, easy to heal and less chance of leading to fistula holes. With the cartilage of nasal septum as support, facial deformity can be reduced. And the method is worth spreading and exploiting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai of Shandong, Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, China. ytebhzqq@163.com
authors.forename: Qing-quan
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tian-zhen
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiu-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016378:Tissue Transplantation