Inferior Turbinate Flap for Nasal-side Closure of Palatal Fistula in Cleft Patients: Technical Note

SUMMARY: Residual palatal fistula after repair of palatal cleft is common. Repair of residual oronasal fistula is not always successful. Two-layer closure techniques that close these fistulas with soft tissue are a common practice. Turnover flaps are the most used flaps and often the sole method for nasal-side closure of fistula. Anteriorly based inferior turbinate flap can be used to provide soft tissue for nasal-side closure when turnover flaps will not provide sufficient tissue for this purpose. Under general anesthesia with nasotracheal intubation, inferior turbinate was released from posterior attachment. After removing the inferior conchal bone, mucoperiosteal flap was used for nasal-side closure of anterior palatal fistula in patients with cleft. Anteriorly based inferior turbinate flap was used for nasal-side closure of residual palatal fistula in 3 patients with cleft. Age of the patients was 14, 16, and 18, and recurrence of palatal fistula has not occurred. Anteriorly based inferior turbinate flap is an axial pattern flap with appropriate surface of the paddle and vicinity to the oral cavity roof. It can be used in large anterior, palatal fistula for reconstruction of nasal floor. Considering appropriate another flap for oral side coverage of such fistula is mandatory.