Cleft lip and palate, also called cheiloschisis and palatoschisis, are the most common oral and maxillofacial malformations, affecting hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Approximately 1 out of 700 children are born with this defect. This abnormality occurs during intrauterine development because the palate does not completely grow together, and the resulting hole can spread to the nasal cavity. Cleft lip and palate may coexist or develop independently. The defect can be diagnosed with the help of ultrasound scanning from the 20th week of pregnancy.
You can undergo the treatment of cleft lip and palate in Germany in order to restore the child's normal appearance, speech, nutrition, and breathing. German hospitals perform safe surgical interventions on children during their first months of life. The experienced surgeons will fully restore the functions of the ENT organs and the dentofacial system.
Content
- Preoperative treatment
- Surgical repair of the cleft lip and palate
The healthcare professionals in Germany perform reconstructive surgery for the treatment of cleft lip and palate. The surgical procedure is preceded by nasoalveolar molding, which makes the operation less traumatic and more successful. Most functional defects are repaired by doctors already in the first year of the child's life, but for a complete restoration of the child's appearance and dentoalveolar system, additional procedures and operations may be required at a later age.
You can opt for the treatment in the following hospitals: University Hospital Rechts der Isar Munich, University Hospital Erlangen, or University Hospital Frankfurt am Main.
You are kindly welcome to leave your request on the Booking Health website, and we will take care of the organization of your trip. We will select a clinic and a doctor who specializes in performing operations on children of the appropriate age. After booking your treatment on the necessary date, our specialists will help you to apply for a visa and get to the clinic. The cost of medical services for you will be the same as for German citizens, as the Booking Health patients receive treatment on preferential terms. You will also be constantly accompanied by a medical interpreter in the clinic.
Preoperative treatment
Cleft lip and palate are an interdisciplinary problem. In Germany, several specialists deal with the health of a child at various stages of diagnostics and treatment, including oral and maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons, dentists, orthodontists, otolaryngologists, geneticists, speech therapists, nutritionists, and neurosurgeons. Parents receive their first consultations shortly after the birth of their child, and the treatment process often continues even into adulthood.
The doctors set themselves the following tasks immediately after the child's birth:
- ensure breastfeeding by providing the mother with the necessary guidance and devices;
- ensure that the child continues to gain weight despite feeding difficulties (underweight increases the risk of complications during surgery or may delay it, which will result in worse surgery outcomes);
- perform an audiological evaluation and an ENT exam.
When preparing for surgery in Germany, nasoalveolar molding (NAM) is used. The elasticity of the skin and cartilage of the palate in newborns can reduce the width of the cleft lip defect by changing the position of the deformed nasal cartilage and aligning the gingivae. Molding starts from the 2nd week of life. On average, the treatment lasts from 3 to 6 months. Molding involves covering the baby's palate with a custom-made acrylic orthodontic plate, which is usually replaced every two weeks.
Surgical repair of the cleft lip and palate
It is desirable to repair the cleft lip between the ages of 3 and 4 months. Cleft palate repair surgery is usually performed later and is recommended between the ages of 7 and 12 months.
The final goal of surgery is to restore the anatomical harmony of the lips and nose. The doctor also has to restore the function of the palate and the normal development of speech. The specialists in Germany use various surgical interventions, such as:
- cheiloplasty – the surgical restoration of the lip;
- rhinoplasty – nose reshaping surgery;
- interventions on the soft palate (fissurorrhaphia, retrotransposition, or myoplasty);
- alveoloplasty – the restoration of the shape of the alveolar process of the upper jaw;
- pharyngoplasty – an intervention on the pharynx to improve the voice timbre.
The operation may have the same name, but reconstructive surgery is individual for each child. The doctor should have great experience and professionalism to repair all defects and avoid complications while achieving an excellent functional and aesthetic outcome. The Booking Health specialists will help you to select the best surgeon for your child.
The main aim of cleft lip repair is the formation of symmetrical and balanced lips and nose with minimal scarring. The defect has the most remarkable changes during the first year after surgery, but the lips and nose continue to change their shape for many years after surgery. The task of the doctors is to make the child look normal, adapt him among his peers and ensure an intelligible speech. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons, together with dentists, restore the dentition, its function, and aesthetics.
After the surgical repair of the cleft palate, the doctors establish an annual follow-up monitoring for their patient. It is necessary to assess the symmetry of the lips and nose as the child's facial skull grows. In adolescence, many patients require another surgical operation on the nose for their complete rehabilitation, as it becomes asymmetrical as it grows.
You can opt for the treatment of cleft lip and palate for your child in one of the medical centers in Germany. You will get excellent aesthetic and functional outcomes, as well as reduce the number of surgical interventions for your child. You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to select the best clinics in Germany, see the cost of treatment, and book your treatment at the best price. The specialists of our company will help you to choose a clinic and a doctor, as well as to arrange your trip.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk and Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
Mayo Clinic
MedlinePlus
NHS
