Palatal flap in bilateral inferior partial maxillectomy

Maxillectomy is done for a variety of disease conditions. Reconstruction following maxillectomy is done to restore the form and function. One of the important goals that are to be achieved in reconstruction is the separation of the oral and nasal cavities. In this article, we report the use of palatal flap by preserving the descending palatine artery during bilateral inferior partial maxillectomy, for separating the nasal cavity from the oral cavity. This technique eliminates the need for an obturator or another free or local flap for this purpose.