Lingual flap rotation for closure of palatinal fistula. Literature review

Abstract

Introduction. The tongue has been used in oral reconstructive surgery for over a century, with the pedicled tongue flap introduced by Eiselberg in 1901. Cleft palate, a congenital malformation that develops between the third and tenth week of intrauterine life, can be caused by several factors, including its size, failed healing, excessive flap tension, necrosis, and hematomas. These defects produce difficulties in phono-articulation, halitosis, and regurgitation of fluids from the oral cavity into the nasal cavity. Currently, lingual flap rotation is the most recommended technique for tight closure of cleft palate due to its wide vascularity and versatility. The flaps can be posterior or anterior based, depending on the area to be corrected. Objective. To describe the surgical technique of lingual flap rotation to close cleft palate. Methodology. The present study has a descriptive approach, for which a compilation of data with relevant information about the surgical technique of tongue flap rotation for the closure of cleft palate has been conducted by searching in digital databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, SciELO, and Scopus with the keywords "cleft palate," "tongue flap," "maxillomandibular anomalies."