Hard palate closure in two-stage palatoplasty

Abstract

The intraoperative and postoperative results of hard palate closure were investigated in the case of two-stage palatoplasty in our clinic. Comparative analyses have been made between the results of the cases operated only by using vomer flap (vomer flap group, n=76)and those of the cases operated by using vomer and palatal flaps (vomer+palatal flap group, n=16).
The results were as follows:
1. The blood loss of the vomer flap group (mean: 42.4 g) is significantly less than that of the vomer+palatal flap group (mean: 103.6 g).
2. Only 10 cases (10.9 %) had postoperative fistula. The ratio of fistula formation was not significantly different between the two groups. There was no case with large fistula that causes critical dysfunction such as speech difficulties.
3. Raw surface made by operation have been covered by TERUDERMIS(Artificial dermis made of atelocollagen). There was no case with severe operation scar.
4. It was considered that the usefulness of two-stage palatoplasty can be enhanced by the operation using vomer flap alone, which causes less surgical damage.