1996 Volume 42 Issue 8 Pages 864-866
We report a case of a malignant tumor at the left side of the soft palate in a 47-year-old man who underwent immediate reconstruction using both a superiorly based pharyngeal flap and a palatal island flap. Velopharyngeal functions were studied with a nasopharyngeal fiberscope one month after operation. The velopharynx, divided into two orifices by the pharyngeal flap, showed complete closure on both deglutition and/p/production, but not on/a/production at the right orifice. One the surgical side, no space between the bulb of a obturator prosthesis and the pharyngeal walls was observed on either deglutition or/p/production, but a very small space was seen on/a/production. A proper amount of space around the obturator reflected the potential for muscular movement related to the production of speech. The defect of the soft palate was restored effectively with the prosthesis, with no loss of function. The usefulness of a pharyngeal flap for reconstruction of acquired lateral soft palate defects was discussed with respect to patients in whom residual velopharyngeal movement is expected.
