Palatal fistula closure

Cleft palate along with cleft lip is one of the common facial birth defects all over the world. Cleft palate defect usually needs correction at an age of 10 months from the date of childbirth. The main reasons for which cleft palate deformities are to be corrected include nasal regurgitation of fluids and food, the nasal escape of air during a speech. Oronasal fistula (ONF) or palatal fistula is the commonest complication associated with cleft palate surgery. Communication between the oral and nasal cavity due to break down of the corrected cleft palate structures is known as an Oronasal fistula. Repair of cleft palate under tension is considered to be the main reason of ONF. Among the other main causes are vascular accidents and infection. The symptomatic cases of Oronasal fistula have the same symptoms as the cleft palate patients have, i.e., nasal regurgitation and hypernasality of speech.

To address these problems Oronasal fistula has to be corrected. Oronasal fistulas are corrected usually by surgical methods. The fistulas are closed by attaining tissue pedicled from the adjacent palatal structures. One such patient has come to our hospital (Richardson’s dental & craniofacial hospital) with anterior palatal fistula. Fistula closure was achieved by pedicled palatal flaps and PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) derived from patient’s own blood has been used in between these flaps for faster healing. These type of deformities can also be closed by an acrylic plate when the patient has gone through several unsuccessful surgical attempts and is no longer willing to undergo another procedure. All types of surgical procedures for correction of cleft lip, palate and secondary procedures like lip revision, fistula closures, and speech surgeries are done at Richardson's dental & craniofacial hospital by Dr.Sunil Richardson and his team.