Use of adhesives in cleft palate surgery: a new flap fixation technique

N-Butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NB2C) is a synthetic tissue adhesive, and it has been used in many surgical procedures. This study was aimed at evaluating its efficacy in cleft palate repairs. Fifteen patients with soft palate and hard palate clefts had clefts repaired with the use of this synthetic adhesive. The ages at repair ranged from 11 months to 17 years, with an average of 2.4 years. Follow-up time ranged from 14 months to 24 months. No complications were found. The advantages of using NB2C were shorter operative time, more pushback gained, better hemostasis, early and well-tolerated feeding, tension-free closure, and better patient comfort. This study shows NB2C as a useful adjunctive material for affixing the mucoperiosteal flaps to the hard palate.