"Flip-over flap" in two-stage cleft palate repair.

PURPOSE: This study served to evaluate a two-stage concept in cleft palate repair, including key use of a triangular hinge ("flip-over") flap, in order to prevent palatal fistulae. It uses data from a prospective registry established in 1991.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The concept entails Furlow soft palate repair (at 1 year of age) and hard palate closure (at 4 years) by a three-pronged approach [paring of the edges with or without postero-lateral relaxing incisions, peninsula (Veau) flap(s)], plus a triangular hinge flap. The latter is elevated from the oral layer of the already-repaired soft palate, stays based anteriorly, and is flipped over to close the posterior nasal layer defect. The case series is compared with data from the literature.

RESULTS

The palatal fistula rate for Veau II to IV types (two-stage surgeries) was 4.3%. The overall fistula rate in the cleft population (Veau I-IV) was 2.9%. Meta-analyses describe 4.9 and 8.6% on average. There was no difference between sample A in which the flip-over flaps were used only when modified Veau flaps were indicated (until 2006) and sample B in which it was used regardless of the technique of hard palate closure applied (2006-2018). The fistula rate decreased to zero after 2010, which may reflect also an influence of other factors such as the interpositioning of a collagen membrane and also of improved surgical judgment.

CONCLUSIONS

Using a flip-over flap in two-stage cleft palate repair may contribute to prevent fistula formation at the hard/soft palate junction.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.