Extended vomer flaps in cleft palate repair: a preliminary report.

It is the author's belief that poor healing due to deficient mesenchyme at the junction of the hard and soft palates probably constitutes the essential reason for some failures of palatoplasty. In order to provide extra tissue to reinforce the above-mentioned region and to facilitate efficient velar lengthening, the use of an extension of the vomer flap detached from the roof of the pharynx is proposed. Such extended vomer flaps have been applied successfully both on the oral and nasal sides in 50 patients. The necessity of further and longer observations is obvious.