Comparative Evaluation of Rate of Mucosalization of Residual Raw Areas Post Palatoplasty With Use of Buccal Fat Pad in Cleft Palate – A Randomised Controlled Study

Palatoplasty is surgery of cleft palate patients to reconstruct the altered intraoral anatomy and achieve normal functions. Several surgical techniques have been described for cleft palate, including von Langenbeck, Bardach’s and Furlow’s techniques. The goal of the surgery is to restore normal anatomy, which helps in feeding to prevent nasal regurgitation and prevention of articulation issues secondary to the removal of air through the nose. The techniques used to close the defect may result in bare bony areas on the hard palate after the elevation of mucoperiosteal flaps and their subsequent medial mobilization. The defect lateral to mucoperiosteal flaps closure is sometimes covered with sterile gauze soaked with soft paraffin or tincture of benzoin or are left open for mucosalization by means of secondary intention, which leads to discomfort to the patient.  The defect usually heals by secondary intention and scarring.

Buccal fat pad is one of several encapsulated fat masses in cheek which is highly vascularised and easy to harvest and may be used as flap.

Aim of this study is to evaluate the advantages of using BFP as adjuvant to palatoplasty to cover residual raw area defects created during palatoplasty.