Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery

La Dra Claudia Nieto trabaja en equipo con
el Dr Jorge Alberto Espinosa Reyes en todo lo referente a la Cirugía Facial www.plasticacolombia.com

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Between the 6th-11th weeks of the gestational period, the right and left sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth normally grow together. However, in about one of every 700 babies, those sections do not fuse. Cleft lip and palate are variation of a type of congenital clefting deformity caused by abnormal facial development during gestation. Causes of these deformities can be genetic in nature, the result of environmental factors, maternal diet and vitamin intake, illegal drugs, alcohol, cigarette use, and others.

These birth defects are of variable severity. It is possible for a child to have a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or variations of both. The condition can be slight or severe, unilateral or bilateral. These children may have problems with their feeding and their teeth, their hearing, their speech, and their psychological development as they grow up. If a child is born with either or both of these conditions, doctors usually recommend surgery. A cleft lip or palate can be successfully treated with surgery soon after birth. However, in some cases a second or even third surgery will be necessary.

The treatment of cleft lip and palate is so complex that no one specialist can handle all of the issues that arise. A multidisciplinary team approach to the treatment of these deformities will be needed. The team is led by an otolaryngologist and a facial plastic surgeon, as well as other specialists from several disciplines. When surgery is done by a qualified plastic surgeon, such as Dr. Espinosa, with experience in repairing cleft lip and palate, the results can be quite positive.


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