Me. Mavili et al., UNILATERAL ABSENCE OF THE SOFT PALATE - CASE-REPORT OF RECONSTRUCTIONWITH A MUCOPERIOSTEAL ISLAND FLAP, The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal, 30(5), 1993, pp. 497-499
Congenital absence of half of the soft palate is a rare deformity. The
re is little in the literature about its definition and management. Th
is article presents a case with velopharyngeal insufficiency caused by
unilateral absence of the soft palate. The patient was treated with a
modification of the mucoperiosteal island flap, first designed by Mil
lard, to provide nasal lining during pushback lengthening of a short c
left palate. The speech quality of the patient improved noticeably aft
er the operation. Although island flap has limited use in primary clef
t palate surgery, it may be effective in reconstruction of soft palate
defects, when standard pushback procedures are not adequate for solvi
ng the problem.