A Comparative Study to Evaluate a Simple Method for the Management of Postoperative Bleeding Following Palatoplasty

Bleeding, is one of the most common postoperative complications after palatoplasty in patients with cleft palate. The purpose of this article is to present our experience using a Foley catheter balloon for perioperative palatoplasty bleeding management. A retrospective data analysis was performed fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Percy Rossell-Perry, William J Schneider, Arquímedes M. Gavino-Gutierrez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. 2013-05-01
Series:Archives of Plastic Surgery
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.5999/aps.2013.40.3.263
Description
Summary:Bleeding, is one of the most common postoperative complications after palatoplasty in patients with cleft palate. The purpose of this article is to present our experience using a Foley catheter balloon for perioperative palatoplasty bleeding management. A retrospective data analysis was performed for all cases of palatoplasty performed by the author from 1999 to 2012 that experienced postoperative hemorrhage. These patients were managed by utilizing posterior nasal compression with a Foley catheter balloon for the period 2006 to 2012. We have compared two methods (we use before 2006 the reoperative method) with regards to the later development of palatal fistulae and cases with reoperative hemostasis. The study found no statistically significant differences between the conventional and proposed method in relation to the development of palatal fistulae (P=0.7). These findings suggest that nasal packing using a Foley balloon is a safe and effective method for postoperative bleeding control after palatoplasty in patients with cleft palate.
ISSN:2234-6163
2234-6171