Fistula after 2-flap palatoplasty: a 20-year review. 2009

Ananth S Murthy, and Pranay M Parikh, and Connie Cristion, and Michael Thomassen, and Mark Venturi, and Michael J Boyajian
Department of Surgery, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. amurthy@chmca.org

Oronasal fistula formation is a recalcitrant complication following palatoplasty, resulting in nasal emission during speech and deglutition. We review our series to identify factors associated with fistula incidence. A retrospective review of all children with nonsyndromic cleft palate who underwent 2-flap palatoplasty by the senior author from July 1983 to August 2004, was performed. Patient demographics, cleft characteristics, and operative techniques were recorded for each patient. The incidence rates of fistula, pharyngeal flap, and reoperation were used as primary outcomes. Statistical comparisons of frequencies were performed using Fisher exact test. Comparisons of means were performed using chi2 analysis. A total of 332 consecutive children met inclusion criteria. Mean age at palatoplasty was 10.8 months, and mean follow-up was 74.1 months. Eight children (2.4%) were found to have fistulae postoperatively, ranging in size from 2 to 15 mm. Four palatal fistulas occurred in the soft palate, 2 at the junction of the hard and soft palate, 1 in the hard palate, and 1 at the incisive foramen. Symptomatic nasal emission requiring reoperation occurred in 5 children. Two of these 5 children required a second operation to achieve fistula closure. Forty pharyngeal flaps were required for correction of velopharyngeal incompetence (12.0%). Two-flap palatoplasty remains a highly successful technique for closure of a variety of palatal clefts, with low fistula incidence. Surgical technique and experience are factors associated with low fistula incidence.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D008297 Male Males
D009668 Nose Diseases Disorders of the nose, general or unspecified. Nasal Diseases,Nasal Disorders,Disease, Nasal,Disease, Nose,Diseases, Nasal,Diseases, Nose,Disorder, Nasal,Disorders, Nasal,Nasal Disease,Nasal Disorder,Nose Disease
D010160 Palate, Soft A movable fold suspended from the posterior border of the hard palate. The uvula hangs from the middle of the lower border. Velum Palatinum,Soft Palate,Palates, Soft,Palatinum, Velum
D012008 Recurrence The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission. Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D012086 Reoperation A repeat operation for the same condition in the same patient due to disease progression or recurrence, or as followup to failed previous surgery. Revision, Joint,Revision, Surgical,Surgery, Repeat,Surgical Revision,Repeat Surgery,Revision Surgery,Joint Revision,Revision Surgeries,Surgery, Revision
D002983 Clinical Competence The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care. Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective

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