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. 2014 Dec;118(6):632-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2014.07.002. Epub 2014 Jul 15.

Incidence of palatal fistula formation after primary palatoplasty in northern Finland

Riitta H Lithovius  1 , Leena P Ylikontiola  2 , George K B Sándor  3
Affiliations

Incidence of palatal fistula formation after primary palatoplasty in northern Finland

Riitta H Lithovius et al. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2014 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the incidence of palatal fistulas after primary cleft palate repair.

Study design: The study included 136 patients who were treated at the Oulu University Hospital cleft lip and palate center between 1998 and 2011. All patients were treated by the same surgeons with 1-stage palatoplasty closing the hard and soft palate concurrently.

Results: The overall frequency of postoperative fistula was 9.6% of patients. Patients with cleft lip and palate (20.0%) were more likely to develop postoperative palatal fistulas than patients with cleft palate (6.6%). Surgical technique and cleft severity were not significant factors for the development of palatal fistulas.

Conclusions: The majority of patients undergoing primary palatal repair do not develop palatal fistulas.

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