[Repair of palatal fistulae in cleft patients]. / Fermeture des fistules palatines séquellaires de fentes.

OBJECTIVES: Treatment of oronasal fistulae in cleft patients remains a surgical challenge because of its high failure rate. The authors report the results of an aggressive surgical technique using the total elevation of palatal mucoperiosteum, even for small fistulae. METHODS: This approach was used on twelve consecutive patients, from five to 33 years of age, presenting with a Pittsburgh classification type IV palatal fistulae. The surgical procedure was total elevation of the hard palate mucoperiosteum starting from the dental sulcus combined with sealed double layer sutures. Clinical and photographical control was made at least 6 months after to detect a possible relapse. RESULTS: The success rate was 100%. No relapsing fistula was observed with follow-up ranging from 6 to 36 months. DISCUSSION: This technique allows wide exposure and safe closure of the nasal layer. It is simple and leaves no raw bone surface exposed and no additional scar. The authors think it can be used in all type IV fistulae less than 1cm wide. Several other surgical techniques have been described to close palatal fistulae: local turnover flaps, pedicled flaps from adjacent oral tissue, tongue flaps, tissue expansion, and even free flaps. Obturator prostheses have also been used. The technique we report, even if more aggressive, seems to be more reliable with fewer relapse and sequelae.

[Benign bone forming tumors]. / Tumeurs bénignes ostéoformatrices du massif craniofacial.

Benign bone forming tumors typically produce dense bone (osteoma, enostosis) or osteoid tissue (osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma). Even though these four lesions have distinct characteristics, it is sometimes difficult to tell them apart and to rule out malignant bone forming lesions such as osteosarcoma. The first line treatment is surgical exeresis.

[Nasal reconstruction with a three-staged forehead flap: assessment of 16 cases]. / Reconstruction nasale par lambeau frontal en trois temps: évaluation de 16 cas.

INTRODUCTION: We report our experience in 16 patients with a three-staged forehead flap, described by Millard (1974) and Burguet (1992) for nasal reconstruction. We wanted to determine whether the three-stage procedure improves the quality of the final aesthetic result. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients underwent forehead flap nasal reconstruction between June 2002 and February 2005. Reconstruction was performed in three stages, a first stage for the transfer of the forehead flap on the nose, a second stage where the pediculized forehead flap was thinned (day 15) and a third stage for division of the pedicle (day 30). The quality of the final aesthetic result of nasal reconstruction was evaluated 6 months postoperatively, by the patient (patient's satisfaction with the nasal reconstruction [4 points]) and by the surgical team according to the thickness of the flap (3 points), integration of the scars (1 point), color of the flap (1 point) and the redefinition of the natural contour of the nose (1 point). A final 10-point score was used to assess the quality of the result: very good (score above 8), good (score from 7 to 8), average (score from 5 to 7) and poor (score less than 5). RESULTS: Sixteen nasal reconstructions were followed to completion. Outcome was considered very good in ten (62.5%), good in three (18.7%) and fair in three (18.7%). DISCUSSION: Use of the three-stage procedure for forehead flap nasal reconstruction improved the contour of the flap by aggressive defatting of the still pediculized flap, and thus improving the final aesthetic result. Traditionally two stages are used for frontal flaps, with pedicle division at the first stage. This refinement must not be excessive because of the risk of necrosis, the frontal flap often requiring latter defatting. In the three-stage technique thinning is performed at the second stage on a vascularised, bipediculized flap, which makes it possible to obtain the desired refinement without excessive vascular risk.