Cleft & Craniofacial Conditions Treated

Our center specializes in the treatment of cleft and craniofacial conditions including, but not limited to:

Cleft Lip and Palate:

This is a separation of the parts or segments of the lip or roof of the mouth, which usually join together during the early weeks of development of an unborn child. A cleft lip is a separation of the two sides of the lip and often includes the bones of the jaw and/or the upper gum. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth and can vary in severity. Children with these conditions have difficulty with feeding and speech, and their appearance is often severely affected.  

Facial Clefting:

An opening or gap in the face, or a malformation of a part of the face. Facial clefting is a collective term for all sorts of clefts. All structures like bone, soft tissue, skin, etc. can be affected. Facial clefts are extremely rare congenital anomalies. There are many variations of a type of clefting and classifications are needed to describe and classify all types of clefting.

Craniofacial Syndromes:

Several types of syndromes that vary considerably in type, level of severity, and physical symptoms. They always includes a cluster of symptoms, most often affecting the form, function, and appearance of the head, face, and neck region. Differences may be found in other areas of the body as well. They may include various craniofacial conditions including: Apert, Carpenter, Crouzon, Down, Goldenhar, Hemifacial Microsomia, Muenke, Parry-Romberg, Pfeiffer, Saethre-Chotzen, and Treacher Collins.

Pierre Robin Sequence:

Not a syndrome or a disease, it is referred to as a sequence because it results as a series of events during a baby's early development in the womb. Individuals with this condition are typically characterized by a small lower jaw with a receding chin, cleft palate, and a large tongue positioned too far back in the mouth. Treatment may include palatal closure, jaw surgery, staged orthodontics, ear tubes, and speech therapy.

Velopharyngeal Insufficiency:

A malfunction of a velopharyngeal mechanism responsible for directing the transmission of sound energy and air pressure in both the oral cavity and the nasal cavity. When this mechanism is impaired in some way, the valve does not fully close, and a condition known as 'velopharyngeal insufficiency' (VPI) can develop. VPI can either be congenital or acquired later in life.

Torticollis:

A stiff neck associated with muscle spasm, classically causing lateral flexion contracture of the cervical spine musculature (a condition in which the head is tilted to one side). The muscles affected are principally those supplied by the spinal accessory nerve. It may be congenital or acquired later in life.

Vascular Tumors / Malformations:

A birthmark or a growth, present at birth, which is composed of blood vessels that can cause functional or aesthetic problems. Vascular malformations may involve multiple body systems. There are several different types of tumors and malformations and they are named according to which type of blood vessel is predominantly affected.

Positional Plagiocephaly:

A misshapen (asymmetrical) shape of the head (cranium) from repeated pressure to the same area of the head. Plagiocephaly literally means "oblique head" (from the Greek "plagio" for oblique and "cephale" for head).

Nonsyndromic and Syndromic Craniosynostosis:

A condition in which the sutures (soft spots) in the skull of an infant close too early, causing problems with normal brain and skull growth. Premature closure of the sutures may also cause the pressure inside of the head to increase and the skull or facial bones to change from a normal, symmetrical appearance.

Management of the Pediatric Airway:

Aspect of craniofacial surgery involving the diagnosis and treatment of airway disorders in children. Highly specialized care is provided for children with a wide variety of congenital or acquired airway defects. A multidisciplinary team works closely with many other specialists at the various hospital/clinical centers to meet the complex needs that some of these children have.