Update of cleft lip and palates

Congenital deformities of the lip and palate occur
at birth because of a disorder in the formation of
the palate and upper lip in the early embryonic
development of the fetus. Defects of the upper lip can
be clefts on one or both sides. The cleft can extend
and cover the entire lip or continue all the way to
the nose, forming the so-called hare lip. While the
cleft palate can occur as an independent defect or
in combination with a cleft of the upper lip. Cleft
palates occur as defects of the uvula of the throat,
then clefts of the soft palate or, alternatively, clefts
of the soft and hard palate. Medical examinations
have proven that a third of the deformations of the
upper lip and palate are hereditary and occur in
descendants in one family. Therefore, future parents
should make a so-called genetic map when planning
a family to detect the presence of a possible defect
in the genome.
The appearance of a cleft lip or palate in a new born is
a strong shock for parents, especially for the mother.
Early consultation with the surgeon and examination
of the newborn can reassure the parents, which
should explain the deformity in detail as well as the
methods for its surgical treatment. There are several
surgical techniques for closing the primary defect
of the palate and upper lip, which are performed
according to the type of deformity, the complexity
of the defect and the age. Common to all surgical
techniques is the end result - closing the cleft palate,
creating a mobile upper palate and separating the
nasal cavity from the oral cavity. This prevents the
passage of food and liquids to the nose and normal
airflow during breathing.