Function of the sensate free forearm flap after partial glossectomy.

Aims: To compare functional recovery of sensitive free forearm flaps with non-sensitive free forearm flaps, following reconstruction for partial glossectomy.

Material: Sixteen patients underwent partial glossectomy for oncological reasons, of whom: nine patients underwent repair with non-sensitive free forearm flaps (group A) and seven with sensitive free flaps (group B).

Methods: All patients underwent the following tests: (1) tactile sensitivity evaluation, localization of stimulus, sharp/blunt definition, discrimination between two points (static and dynamic), thermal sensitivity to heat/cold; (2) speech evaluation by means of the modified Fanzago test; (3) subjective evaluation concerning the degree of satisfaction of the following functions: swallowing, feeding and talking.

Cystathionine beta-synthase c.844ins68 gene variant and non-syndromic cleft lip and palate.

Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) is a common birth defect with substantial clinical and social impact and whose causes include both genetic and environmental factors. Folate and homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism have been indicated to play a role in the etiology of CL/P, and polymorphisms in folate and Hcy genes may act as susceptibility factors. We investigated a common polymorphism in the cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) gene (c.