A novel method of hard palate reconstruction utilizing a combination of the buccal fat pad and palatal island flap

The palatal island flap is reliable for single-staged reconstruction of select oral defects. However, fistula formation is a disruptive potential complication. The authors employed this technique in five patients and present a representative case of a 65-year-old female with a left-sided palatal salivary neoplasm. The patient underwent resection and was reconstructed utilizing a combination of the buccal fat pad and palatal island flap. Four of the five patients healed uneventfully. One patient experienced partial loss of the marginal zone of the palatal island flap which successfully granulated and did not lead to an oroantral fistula. The representative patient recovered uneventfully. At 2 weeks, she felt well, with no evidence of fistula. The anterior palate demonstrated early mucosalization. We present the novel, combined use of the palatal island flap and buccal fat pad flap to create a two-layer closure and describe its advantages for posterior palate reconstruction.