• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.333-335
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• 2009

Congenital palatal fistulas are rare, and few cases have been reported. Most reported cases present with a submucous cleft palate. In terms of etiology, whether the fistula is congenital or acquired has been debated. Moreover, there is not a generally accepted surgical procedure for repair of palatal fistulas. We present a case of a congenital palatal fistula with a submucous cleft palate that was successfully treated with a Furlow double - opposing Z - plasty. We discuss palatal fistulas with a review of the literature.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2022

Background Cleft lip and cleft palate are the most frequent congenital craniofacial deformities, with an incidence of approximately 1 per 700 people. Postoperative palatal fistula is one of the most significant long-term complications. This study investigated the incidence of postoperative palatal fistula and its predictive factors based on 25 years of experience at our hospital. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 636 consecutive palatal repairs performed between January 1996 and October 2020 by a single surgeon. Data from patients' medical records regarding cleft palate repair were analyzed. The preoperative extent of the cleft was evaluated using the Veau classification system, and the cleft palate repair technique was chosen according to the extent of the cleft. SPSS version 25.0 was used for all statistical analyses, and exploratory univariate associations were investigated using the t-test. Results Fistulas occurred in 20 of the 636 patients; thus, the incidence of palatal fistula was 3.1%. The most common fistula location was the hard palate (9/20, 45%), followed by the junction of the hard and soft palate (6/20, 30%) and the soft palate (5/20, 25%). The cleft palate repair technique significantly predicted the incidence of palatal fistula following cleft palate repair (P=0.042). Fistula incidence was significantly higher in patients who underwent surgery using the Furlow double-opposing Z-plasty technique (12.1%) than in cases where the Busan modification (3.0%) or two-flap technique (2.0%) was used. Conclusions The overall incidence of palatal fistulas was 3.1% in this study. Moreover, the technique of cleft palate repair predicted fistula incidence.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.295-309
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• 2006

The present study was aimed to evaluate the incidence, etiological factors, and management of cleft lip and palate. Two hundred and twenty patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate who were treated at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, during the period between January 1994 and December 2003 were reviewed. The ratios of cleft lip : cleft lip with cleft palate : and cleft palate were 0.4:1.1:1. Males were more common than females in cleft lip (1.3:1) and cleft lip and palate (2.5:1), while females were more common than males in cleft palate (1:1.3). In the cleft side, left clefts were more prevalent than right clefts (cleft lip 1.3:1, cleft lip and palate 1.6:1). Unilateral clefts were more common than bilateral clefts in cleft lip (79:21). Cleft lip and cleft palate were more common in those with blood type A (34.5%) than those with other types. There was no significant relationship between birth season and frequency of clefts. The clefts were common in the first-born (48.8%), and in mothers aged between 25 and 29 (51.7%). Medication (24.7%) and stress (16.7%) during the first trimester were noted. Positive familial history was noted in 13 cases (5.9%). Thirty-two cases (15%) were associated with other congenital anomalies, in which tonguetie (40.6%) and congenital heart disease (21.9%) were most common. Among 100 patients with cleft palate, 77 patients had middle ear disease (77%), which occurred predominently in the incomplete cleft palate. Seventy-six among the 77 patients received myringotomy and ventilation tube insertion, and the remaining one received antibiotic medication only. Cleft lips were treated primarily at 3 to 6 months, and cleft palates were at 1 to 2 years. Treatment regimens included modified Millard method mainly in the cleft lip, and Wardill V-Y, Dorrance method, and Furlow method in the cleft palate. The percentage of palatal lengthening as type of cleft palate was greater in the incomplete cleft palate group (11.2%) than in the complete cleft palate group (9.6%). The percentage of palatal lengthening as operating method was no difference between the Furlow method (10.9%) and the push back method (10.7%). As postoperative complications, hypertrophic scar was most frequent in the cleft lip, and oronasal fistula in the cleft palate. In summary, it was shown that medication and stress during the first trimester of pregnancy were frequently associated with cleft lip and cleft palate, adequate timing and selection of method of operation are important factors to obtain morphologically and functionally good results. Furthermore prevention and treatment of middle ear disease are important in cleft palate patients because of its high co-occurrence.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.189-196
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• 1992

Pre-surgical and post-surgical change in adult cleft lip and palate patient following Le Fort I advancement osteotomy combined with bone graft was evaluated clinically and cephalometically. We obtained a successful function and esthetic improvement. The bone graft of alveolo-palatal clefts provides a stable bone support to the adjacent teeth of the cleft area, and well union of adjacent bone tissue, the closure of oronasal fistula and improvement of speech problem. Le Fort I osteotomy following the ostectomy of nasal septum for advancement of the maxilla was obtained relative improvement of esthetics and functional occlusion. 1. The orthodontic correction was required before and after surgery. 2. In this case, there was a limited range of anterior advancement of the Premaxillary-segment due to the scar tissue. 3. After 8 months of operation, we could show the new bone deposition on the cleft site in dental radiograph and then the prosthetic treatement to the missing teeth was done.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2004

The present study was carried out to investigate the change of the palatal length after palatoplasty in congenital cleft palate. With the data from one hundred and twelve patients with cleft palate who had been treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Chonnam University Hospital over a period of 10 years(April 1995 to April 2004). The epidemiological characteristics, the method of palate repair, the postoperative complications and the extent of palatal lengthening were investigated and analyzed statistically. Incomplete cleft palate occurs more frequently than complete cleft palate. Male were affected 2.1 times more than female in complete cleft palate, and female were affected 1.2 times more than male in incomplete cleft palate. Dorrance method and Wardill V-Y method were frequently used in repair of incomplete cleft palate. Wardill V-Y method, Furlow double opposing Z-plasty, two flap method, and Perko method were widely used in repair of complete cleft palate. The extent of palatal lengthening was greater in the incomplete cleft palate group(5.84 mm) than in the complete cleft palate group(4.71 mm), and in the Furlow double opposing Z-plasty group(5.70 mm) than in the push back palatoplasty group(5.33 mm). But no significant difference was noted. Palatal fistula and wound dehiscence were popular postoperative complications in cleft palate. These results indicate that the extent of palatal lengthening, which contributing to speech function, is a range of 3.5% to 24.0%(average 10.8%) after palatoplasty in cleft palate patients.