ARTICLE Triangular Uvulopalatal Flap Murat Enoz, MD I ABSTRACT The aim of this technique is shortening and tightening the soft palate to increase the retropalatal upper airway patency. Postoperative scarring may also stabilize the soft palate and thus prevent vibration and snoring sound generation at this site. SOMMAIRE Le but de cette technique est de diminuer et de raffermir les tissus mous du palais pour ameliorer la permeabilite des voies aeriennes retropalatines. La cicatrisation postoperatoire peut aussi stabiliser les tissus mous du palais et ainsi prevenir la vibration et le ronflement. i Key words: obstructive sleep apnea, triangular, uvulopatatal flap Surgical Technique An incision is made 5 to 10 mm below the posterior end of the hard palate. A scalpel is used to dissect the plane between submucosal adipose tissue and muscle layer from the incision line towards the uvular tip (stripping technique). An outline of the flap (triangular dotted line) is made on the palatal mucosa. Triangular-shaped poster- ior pilar mucosa from near the uvula is excised. The mucosal strip is then carefully dissected and removed with a scalpel. The uvula is reflected back towards the soft palate and fixed into its new position. The denuded flap is imbricated and sutured to the proximal part (A and A') of the soft palate with 3-0 Vicryl (Figure 1). Discussion The retropalatal region is the most common site of obstruction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is the most common surgical technique for treatment of the OSA patient.' Uvulopalatal flap (UPF), introduced by Powell and colleagues,' also achieves the same results as the UPPP but ^'S"',^ /• Technique of uvulopalatalflap.An incision is made 5 to 10 " mm below the posterior end of hard palate. A .scalpel is u.sed to dissect the plane between submucosal adipose tissue and muscle layer from the incision line towards the uvular tip (stripping technique). An outline of the flap (triangular dotted line) is made on the palatal mucosa. Triangular-.shaped posterior pilar muco.sa from near the uvula is excised. The mucosal .strip is then carefully dis.sected and removed with a scalpel. The uvula is reflected back towards the soft palate and fixed into its new position. The denuded flap is imbricated and sutured to the proximal part (A and A') of the soft palate with 2-0 Vicryl (see Surgical Technique). Received 11/24/05. Accepted for publication 11/30/05. Murat Enoz: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Utiiversity, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. Address reprint requests to: Murat Enoz, Oruc Reis Mah. Albayrak Cad. No: 59 34235 Esenler/Istanbul, Turkey; e-mail: muratenoz@yahoo.com. DOl 10.2310/7070.2007.0007 The Journal of Otolaryngology, Vol 36, No 2 (April), 2007: pp 111-112