Repairing Cleft Lip and Palate

Dr. Bartlett is one of Boston’s leading plastic surgeons. Formerly the Chief of Plastic Surgery at Boston’s Children’s Hospital and Associate Director of the Craniofacial and Cleft Lip Palate Program consolidated his reputation for providing quality care that delivers exemplary results – even for the most challenging cases.

Approximately 1 in 800 live births are effected by the congenital deformity, cleft lip and palate. These deformities range in severity from a barely noticeable notch in the top lip to the most severe, complete bilateral cleft lip and palate. Dr. Bartlett has the compassion and expertise to handle both sides of the scale.

The first step in treating a child with a cleft lip and plate is a thorough physical examination to determine if the child has any other health factors. The parents or care givers will then be given feeding advice so that the child receives necessary nutrients. This is especially important for children with a cleft palate since they often have difficulty sucking and will need to be bottle fed using special techniques.

Reconstructive surgery for a cleft lip is usually performed between three and five months of age. Procedures to correct a cleft palate are usually performed between nine and twelve months. After the corrective procedures, the child will continue to have annual check ups. Speech therapy services and careful hearing monitoring are also important. Each case is different, but many patients require secondary reconstructive surgery at various ages throughout childhood and into teenage years.