Sensory morbidity after palatal flap surgery--fact or fiction?

Retrospectively, a study was undertaken as to how dividing the nasopalatine nerve (whilst raising a palatal flap) effects postoperative sensory morbidity. 85 patients were separated into two groups: (a) nasopalatine nerve sectioned during surgery (45), and (b) nerve left intact (40). A clinician, blind to the patient's group, used indirect questioning, direct questioning, and examination to assess if the patient was aware of any deficit or if one existed of which he/she was unaware. The results showed that none of the patients in either group were aware of altered sensation in their palate post-operatively--two patients in the incised group experienced a temporary numbness. Examination revealed that five patients in the nerve divided group had a small area of altered sensation but this was not significant either for the patient or statistically between the groups. Conclusion--there is no significant sensory morbidity if the naso-palatine bundle is sectioned during palatal flap surgery.