Overview
The aim of this study is to evaluate donor site morbidity and buccinator muscle integrity following the use of buccinator myomucosa flap in patients with velopharyngeal incompetence.
Description
Cleft lip and palate represent one of the most common congenital deformities. The associated disruption of palatal structure leads to abnormal velopharyngeal anatomy, frequently resulting in failure to achieve adequate closure of the velopharyngeal valve even after primary palatal repair.
Buccal artery myomucosal flap Firstly described by Bozola this axial-pattern flap is based on and centered around the buccal artery, a branch of the internal maxillary artery. The flap extends from the maxillary tuberosity to the oral commissure and is primarily used for the closure of mucosal defects involving the posterior hard palate, soft palate, and maxillary alveolus.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients diagnosed with velopharyngeal incompetence undergoing palatal lengthening using bilateral posteriorly based buccinator myomucosal flaps.
- Non-syndromic patients.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Syndromic cleft patients with associated neuromuscular disorders.
- History of previous cheek surgery affecting the buccinator muscle.
- Patients who declined participation in the study.
