Pedicled palatal flap for surgical repair of oro-nasal fistula.

Oronasal fistula can occur secondary to various pathologies, but cleft surgery is the most common. The authors propose a pedicled palatal flap technique for surgical repair of small oronasal fistula (0.5-0.8 cm), derived from their experience in the treatment of 7 patients between March 2003 and December 2007. In one case, the fistula was induced by prolonged snorting of cocaine. In the other cases, the fistulas developed after excision of a benign tumor of the palate. For the cocaine-induced fistula, failure of the repair attempt was apparent within 7 days of surgery. In all other cases, complete fistula closure was obtained, and no complications occurred.

Remodeling the neck and the lower jaw with dehoxycholate injections.

Nonsurgical cosmetic facial procedures have gained popularity in recent decades. These procedures are commonly referred to as facial rejuvenation, and only a few are performed in the neck region. Herein, the authors describe their experience with off-label use of deoxycholic acid (DC) injections on 18 patients for remodeling of the neck and lower jaw. The injection protocol was personalized for each patient, and lidocaine was always premixed with the DC. After the initial injection visit, at least 3 months passed before further injections were considered. All documented side effects, including swelling and dysesthesia, resolved spontaneously. All patients received follow-up for at least 3 months, and only 2 patients required a second session of injections. By personalizing the injection protocol for each patient, good outcomes were achieved, including aesthetic enhancement of the shape and contour of the jaw and neck. Although the study is limited by the relatively small sample size, the results are promising and warrant additional investigations.