Staged Double-Layer Closure of Palatal Defects in 6 Dogs

• Published in: Veterinary surgery Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 423 - 431
• Main Authors: Peralta, Santiago, Nemec, Ana, Fiani, Nadine, Verstraete, Frank J.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Cleft Palate - diagnostic imaging; Cleft Palate - surgery; Cleft Palate - veterinary; Defects; Dog Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Dog Diseases - surgery; Dogs; Female; Male; Palate, Hard - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Surgery; Surgical Flaps - veterinary; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - veterinary; Tooth Extraction - veterinary; Treatment Outcome; Veterinary medicine
• ISSN: 0161-3499; 1532-950X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2014.12131.x

Objective To report a staged approach that includes selective dental extractions before definitive double‐layer hard palate defect closure in dogs. Study Design Retrospective case series. Animals Dogs (n = 6) with a palatal defect. Methods Dogs had selective maxillary teeth extractions 4–8 weeks before definitive hard palate defect repair by double‐layer local full‐thickness mucosal flaps. Results All palatal defects were considered complex. Complete hard palate closure was achieved after initial attempt in 3 dogs; 2 dogs had revision surgery before complete closure, and in 1 dog, closure failed and further treatment was declined. No complications or long‐term consequences were associated with selective dental extractions. Conclusions Selective dental extractions before definitive surgical repair using mucosal flaps in a double‐layer approach is an effective alternative when treating complex hard palate defects in dogs.