Background: Cleft palate results from incomplete fusion of the palatine shelves during embryonic development and varies in severity. It affects speech, hearing, and feeding, often leading to complications such as nasal regurgitation and recurrent infections. The condition is common worldwide and frequently coexists with cleft lip. Surgery remains the primary treatment, aiming to restore both palatal length and function. In this study, Furlow’s double Z-plasty and von Langenbeck palatoplasty have been compared for their effectiveness in minimizing complications and improving outcomes. Methods: This study included 22 children aged 6 to 18 months with non-syndromic complete cleft palates, randomly assigned into two groups. Group A underwent von Langenbeck’s palatoplasty with intravelar veloplasty, while Group B underwent Furlow’s double opposing Z-plasty. Results: Preoperative palatal measurements were comparable between the two groups. Cleft width did not significantly affect surgical outcomes, and both techniques effectively achieved tension-free closure. Von Langenbeck’s repair with intravelar veloplasty was as effective as Furlow’s palatoplasty in achieving palatal lengthening, while offering the additional advantage of being an anatomically based repair associated with lower fistula rates. Conclusion Von Langenbeck’s repair with intravelar veloplasty is as effective as Furlow’s palatoplasty in achieving palatal lengthening and provides the advantage of an anatomically sound repair with a reduced fistula rate.

Bardach described a closure of the cleft utilizing the arch of the palate, which provides the length needed for closure and is most effective only in narrow clefts. Herein, we describe a case where we utilized Bardach’s two-flap technique with a vital and easy modification, done to allow closure of a wide cleft palate and to prevent oronasal fistula formation at the junction of the hard and soft palate, which are otherwise difficult to manage with conventional flaps. The closed palate showed healthy healing, palatal lengthening, and no oronasal regurgitation. We advise using this modification to achieve the goals of palatal repair in difficult cases where tension-free closure would otherwise be achieved with more complex flap surgical techniques, such as free microvascular tissue transfer.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy has become a standard staging tool in the surgical management of breast cancer. The positive impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy on postoperative negative outcomes in breast cancer patients, without compromising the oncological outcomes, is its major advantage. It has evolved over the last few decades and has proven its utility beyond early breast cancer. Its applicability and efficacy in patients with clinically positive axilla who have had a complete clinical response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is being aggressively evaluated at present. This article discusses how sentinel lymph node biopsy has evolved and is becoming a useful tool in new clinical scenarios of breast cancer management.
Axilla ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy*

BACKGROUND: This study has been conducted with the aim of evaluating modified T-plate interpositional arthroplasty. METHODS: A prospective comparative study in patients admitted with temporomandibular joint ankylosis. Ankylotic temporomandibular joint arthroplasty included condylectomy gap arthroplasty in 7, temporalis muscle flap interpositional arthroplasty in 8, and modified T-plate interpositional arthroplasty in 13 cases. The patients were followed for three years. Collected data were tabulated and subjected to Fisher's exact test, chi-square test and probability estimation. RESULTS: A significant increase in interincisal distance of 32 mm was seen in 12 (92.31%) patients in the T-plate interposition group, in 2 (25%) cases of the temporalis muscle flap interposition group, and in 1 case (14.28%) of the condylectomy group at 12, 24, and 36 months. Re-ankylosis was observed in 1 case (9.69%) of the T-plate interposition group, while as it was observed in 4 (50%) cases in the temporalis muscle flap interposition group and 4 (57.14%) cases in the condylectomy group, and these differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our clinical experience with the use of the T-plate over the past 5 years has been encouraging, and our physiotherapy technique is quite simple. Even illiterate parents can assess it easily. Hence, we recommend this easy technique that does not damage the temporalis muscle for the management of temporomandibular joint ankylosis.
Ankylosis* ; Arthroplasty* ; Humans ; Parents ; Prospective Studies ; Temporomandibular Joint*