Soft Palate Reconstruction with a Superior-Constrictor Advancement-Rotation Flap(SCARF).
- Author:
Chung Hwan BAEK
1
;
Kye Hoon PARK
;
Byung Sik KIM
;
Eun Guk BANG
;
Yong Soo CHUNG
Author Information
1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. chbaek@smc.samsung.co.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Reconstructive surgical procedures;
Palate;
Soft
- MeSH:
Free Tissue Flaps;
Humans;
Mental Competency;
Palate;
Palate, Soft*;
Reconstructive Surgical Procedures;
Tissue Donors;
Wound Healing
- From:Korean Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
2001;44(10):1097-1102
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Reconstruction of the soft palate after tumor resection is a difficult surgical procedure because of the requirements of the dynamic functional velopharynx. The ideal technique should be simple, reliable, sensate, dynamic and fast, and should be performed transorally or transcervically. Many methods such as obturators, loco-regional flaps, and free flaps have been devised to reconstruct the soft palate but none meets all this criteria. Superior-constrictor advancement-rotation flap (SCARF) is a dynamic local myomucosal flap to achieve circumferential closure of the velopharynx and reestablish its valvular sphincteric function and this satisfies all the criteria mentioned above. We evaluated the validity of SCARF for reconstruction of the soft palate after tumor resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1998 to 1999, three patients underwent a SCARF reconstruction of the velopharynx after 30% to 70% of the soft palate had been resected. All patients were evaluated after wound healing with regard to subjective satisfaction and objective parameters such as speech-language evaluation and videofluoroscopic study. RESULTS: All patients reestablished velopharyngeal competence without significant phonatory or deglutitive disability. There was no donor site complication. CONCLUSION: We could functionally reconstruct the defect of soft palate (maximum 70%) after tumor resection with SCARF. The SCARF reconstruction of the soft palate was simple, fast, reliable and performed transorally without any significant donor site morbidity.
