Application of buccal fat pad for lining of lateral defect in cleft palate repair and review of literature

Abstract

Purpose: To discuss the advantages of pedicle buccal fat pad flaps used to cover areas of exposed bone of the lateral hard palate. Patients and Methods: Fifty patients had buccal fat pad flaps used in cleft palate repair. Fat pad is filled into the lateral defect and sutured to palatal flap and gingiva without any tension over the midline suture of palatal flap. Results: No patients had any perioperative complication related to buccal fat pad or donor-site. In all cleft palate patients, the recipient areas fully epithelialized within 2 weeks or less. No patients had developed infection, loss of graft, palatal fistulas, or cheek depression. Conclusion: This technique allows safe, simple, durable, autologous, and vascularized coverage of the denuded bony hard palate.