Speech and swallowing following radial forearm flap reconstruction of major soft palate defects

The results emphasise the limitations of reconstruction of a dynamic structure such as the soft palate with the static fold of skin and soft tissue produced by a fasciocutaneous flap. The relatively poor results obtained suggest that an anatomical approach to soft palate reconstruction is inadequate and reduction of the calibre of the velopharyngeal aperture is required to compensate for the lack of mobility in the reconstructed palate.