Closure of palatal defects with pedicled graft of buccal fat pad.

Pedicled graft of buccal fat pad with lyophilized porcine dermis was used for the closure of 6 cases of palatal defects due to surgery of maxillary tumors. In four cases the oroantral and/or oronasal communications were closed, and in two cases exposed bone and muscles were covered. Three of 6 cases were of squamous cell carcinoma originating from gingiva and three were of either ameloblastoma or pleomorphic adenoma.Results of 6 cases to which this method was applied are as follows.1. This method could be applied to large palatal defects; in our cases the maximum defect size was 60×50×30mm.2. Epithelialization generally occurred in about two weeks in conjunction with dissolution of the lyophilized porcine dermis.3. The epithelialized tissue possessed similar characteritics to normal palatal mucosa.4. Epithelialization was not affected by either radiotherapy or chemotherapy.