Surgical closure of end-stage palatal fistulas using anteriorly-based dorsal tongue flaps.

Effective closure of the recurrent palatal fistula demands proper diagnosis and anatomically-based classification, combined with an appreciation of surgical options. The anteriorly-based dorsal tongue flap is recommended to close large and/or compromised end-stage residual palatal fistula, provided that patient selection and surgical technique are meticulous. It has proved to be a safe and effective method of solving a difficult problem.