Besides facial disfigurement, marked impairement of speech and food intake are difficult problems for patients who undergo radical maxillectomy for maxillary sinus cancer.
The main problems lies in the open communication between the oral cavity and the orbitomaxillary defect. Prosthesis is widely used but not without its shortcomings.
In order to solve these problems, plastic closure of the palatal defect by means of autograft is desirable. For this reason, authors have been trying a method of surgical closure of the palatal defect using nasal sptum.
The principle of this surgery is to transect three fourth of circumference of the septum and infracture it at its base so that the septum can be turned to the side of palatal defect and seal off the communictation between the nose and the oral cavity. Additional skin flap is prepared from face near the orbitomxillary opening.
Improvement of speech quality is remarkable after this surgery. Muffling of voice always present with prosthesis was eliminated almost completely.
Complications due to removal of the septum are not remarkable. All of our six patients operated during the past two years are satisfied with this surgery.
For selected case this type of plastic surgery will be a great aid for patients in their postoperative rehabilitation.
