Filling the Void: Use of the Interpositional Buccal Fat Pad to Decrease Palatal Contraction and Fistula Formation

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of the buccal fat pad flap (BFPF) to fill the void remaining after muscle transposition and study its effect on durability, fistula rate, palatal shortening/contraction, and relapse of muscle positioning in wide and challenging cleft repairs. Design: A retrospective chart review was performed. Charts were abstracted for standard demographics, reason for BFPF utilization, palatal length, palatal fistula, co-morbidities, and speech outcomes. Patients, Participants: Patients under age 3 who underwent primary palatoplasty between October 2007 and September 2015 which utilized a medially placed BFPF were identified. Results: Fifty-three patients were identified. Mean age at palatoplasty was 1.4 (0.78-2.55) years. Mean follow-up was 2.52 (0.02-7.26) years. Twenty-four (45.3%) patients had concerning intraoperative findings warranting flap utilization. Twenty-nine (54.7%) patients underwent BFPF for large dead-space volume. Four patients (7.55%) experienced a fistula. Thirty-nine patients had comments on their palatal length. Of these, 28 (71.8%) were of average length, and 8 (20.5%) were long. Thirty-three patients have undergone formal speech evaluation. Of these, 20 (60.6%) were of normal resonance, and 12 (36.4%) demonstrated nominal hypernasality. No patients have yet to require a secondary speech operation. Conclusion: Use of the BFPF has become more common in our practice particularly in challenging cleft palate repairs. It is a versatile technique addressing large interpositional dead space and thin outer and inner lamellae in the anterior soft palate after posterior muscle transposition. Early results, in difficult repairs, demonstrate excellent durability and that palatal length appears to be maintained, potentially lessening the need for secondary speech surgery.