Birth Conditions
Plastic surgeons help to reconstruct many types of birth defects, including:
- Cleft Lips
- Abnormalities of: Hands, Jaws, Skull & Facial Bones
- Birthmarks: vascular or pigmented
Cleft lips or Palates
Cleft lips is a physical separation of the two sides of the upper lip developed in the early stages of the pregnancy, and appears as a wide or narrow opening in all layers of the upper lip and are usually repaired in the age between 3 and 6 months
Cleft palate (is a split or opening in the roof of the mouth) can occur alone or in association with a cleft lip. The palate has several functions including providing a barrier between the mouth and nose, helping to form suction, and contributing to the formation of proper speech. Surgery to repair the palate is usually performed around 1 year of age, when speech is starting.
How It is done?
The most common type of cleft lip repair is a rotation advancement repair.
An incision will be made on each side of the cleft from the lip to the nostril. The two sides of the lip are then sutured together, using tissue from the area to rearrange and close the lip as needed. Then, closing the lip, cleft lip repair realigns the muscle of the upper lip to provide normal lip function and facilitate suckling.
