A Clinical Study of Various Buccinator Musculomucosal Flaps for Palatal Fistulae Closure After Cleft Palate Surgery:

Full-Thickness Oral Mucoperiosteal Defects: Challenges and Opportunities

Regenerative engineering strategies for the oral mucoperiosteum, as may be needed following surgeries, such as cleft palate repair and tumor resection, are underdeveloped compared with those for maxillofacial bone. However, critical-size tissue defects left to heal by secondary intention can lead to complications, such as infection, fistula formation, scarring, and midface hypoplasia. This review describes current clinical practice for replacing mucoperiosteal tissue, including autografts and allografts. Potentially paradigm-shifting experimental regenerative engineering strategies for mucoperiosteal wound healing, such as hybrid grafts and engineered matrices, are also discussed. Throughout the review, the advantages and disadvantages of each replacement or regeneration strategy are outlined in the context of clinical outcomes, quality of life for the patient, availability of materials, and cost of care. Finally, future directions for research and development in the area of mucoperiosteum repair are proposed, with an emphasis on identifying globally available and affordable solutions for promoting mucoperiosteal regeneration. Impact statement Unassisted oral mucoperiosteal wound healing can lead to severe complications such as infection, fistulae, scarring, and developmental abnormalities. Thus, strategies for promoting wound healing must be considered when mucoperiosteal defects are incident to oral surgery, as in palatoplasty or tumor resection. Emerging mucoperiosteal tissue engineering strategies, described in this study, have the potential to overcome the limitations of current standard-of-care donor tissue grafts. For example, the use of engineered mucoperiosteal biomaterials could circumvent concerns about tissue availability and immunogenicity. Moreover, employment of tissue engineering strategies may improve the equity of oral wound care by increasing global affordability and accessibility of materials.

Outcomes of Surgical Management of Palatal Fistulae in Patients With Repaired Cleft Palate

BACKGROUND

The palatal fistula is an important surgical challenge within the longitudinal follow-up of patients with repaired cleft palate as the success rate of palatal fistula reconstruction by adopting several surgical techniques is variable and often unsatisfactory. The purpose of this retrospective study was to report the clinical outcomes of an algorithm for the surgical management of palatal fistulae in patients with repaired cleft palate.

METHODS

Consecutive patients (n = 101) with repaired cleft palate and palatal fistula-related symptoms who were treated according to a specific algorithm between 2009 and 2017 were included. Based on the anatomical location (Pittsburgh fistula types II-V), amount of scarring (minimal or severe scarred palate), and diameter of the fistula (≤5 mm or >5 mm), 1 of 3 approaches (local flaps [62.4%], buccinator myomucosal flaps [20.8%], or tongue flaps [16.8%]) was performed. For clinical outcome assessment, symptomatic and anatomical parameters (fistula-reported symptoms and residual fistula, respectively) were combined as follows: complete fistula closure with no symptoms; asymptomatic narrow fistula remained; or failure to repair the fistula ("good," "fair," or "poor" outcomes, respectively). Surgical-related complication data were also collected.

RESULTS

Most patients (91.1%) presented "good" clinical outcomes, ranging from 86.2% to 100% (86.2%, 100%, and 100% for local flaps, buccinator flaps, and tongue flaps, respectively). All (8.9%) "fair" and "poor" outcomes were observed in fistulae reconstructed by local flaps. All "poor" (5%) outcomes were observed in borderline fistulae (4-5 mm). No surgical-related complications (dehiscence, infections, or necrosis) were observed, except for an episode of bleeding after the 1st stage of tongue flap-based reconstruction (1.0%).

CONCLUSION

A high rate of fistula resolution was achieved using this algorithm for surgical management of palatal fistulae in patients with repaired cleft palate.

Total Palatal Mobilization and Multilamellar Suturing Technique Improves Outcome for Palatal Fistula Repair

BACKGROUNDS

The success rate of the surgical repair of palatal fistula after palatoplasty is often unsatisfactory. This study is a review of 15 years of single surgeon's experience with the evolution of a reliable surgical technique with high success rate.

METHODS

This is a retrospective chart review of consecutive cleft cases undergoing repair of palatal fistula from 2000 to 2015. The study included 37 consecutive fistula repair cases with wide elevation and mobilization of the palatal tissues and nasal and oral layer repair. Group 1 (n = 20) were treated earlier in the study using either midline, von Langenbeck, or 2-flap palatoplasty with 3-layer suturing. Group 2 (n = 17) were treated through a Dorrance-type incision and additional repair of the oral periosteum for a total of 4-layer suturing.

RESULTS

The overall fistula closure rate was 94.6% (90% in group 1 and 100% in group 2). The difference in outcome between the 2 groups was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Most patients (83.8%) had concomitant velar muscle retropositioning for treatment of velopharyngeal incompetence.

CONCLUSIONS

Fistula repair using wide mobilization of the entire palate through previous repair incisions and multilamellar suturing technique has a very low fistula recurrence rate. Addition of the fourth layer of suturing and the use of a Dorrance-type incision further improves the outcome. This approach provides wide tissue release and access to tissue layers for better repair and tension-free closure. Combining intravelar veloplasty with fistula repair is safe and allows management of the fistula and its possible consequences on palatal function in a single procedure.

Versatility of buccinator flaps for the treatment of palatal defects: a series of cases

The buccinator flap is currently one of the best techniques for the reconstruction of defects in the oral cavity and other sites. Reconstruction of the palate is a major challenge because of the functional consequences of the excision of lesions in this area. The main goal is to maintain separation between the mouth and the nose. We have done a cross-sectional retrospective descriptive study of a series of cases reconstruction of palatal defects with buccinator flap at the University Hospital Miguel Servet in Zaragoza during a six-year period and compared our results, morbidity, and mortality with those of published series. The main complication was partial loss of the flap. We have analysed the reasons for this and report the steps needed to avoid it.