Congenital Craniofacial Defects

Congenital craniofacial defects are anomalies that affect a child's head and facial bone structure. From the word “congenital”, they are present at birth and can range from mild to severe cases. Congenital craniofacial defects include cleft palate, hemangioma, and craniosynostosis. 

Possible Causes

There is no medical consensus over what causes congenital anomalies. However, the factors below are considered to contribute to their development: 

• Genetics - a particular gene or a combination of genes inherited from both parents may have caused the anomaly at the stage of conception  

• Folic acid deficiency - this factor is associated with neural tube defects that affect both the brain and spine

• Environmental exposure - though not fully understood, medical experts still consider the fetus’ environmental exposure to certain drugs and chemicals to contribute to certain anomalies

Common Craniofacial Anomalies & Their Treatments

• Cleft lip - this condition occurs when the baby’s upper lip does not completely form; it is corrected using lip repair surgery usually done when the baby is around 3 months old.

• cleft palate - a condition in which the roof of the mouth does not close, leaving an opening that extends to the nasal cavity. This condition is corrected by palate repair surgery usually done when the baby is 6-12 months old. The surgery involves  closing the roof of the mouth with stitches and realigning the baby’s palates.

• Craniosynostosis - this is a condition that occurs from the premature closing of the baby’s sutures. It can be cured with craniosynostosis surgery in which the surgeon makes an incision in the scalp and cranial bones, then reshapes the affected portion of the skull. 

• Hemangioma - a vascular lesion that occurs when blood vessels form abnormally. It can be corrected with surgery or medical prescriptions. Surgery can involve excisions and lasers. 

• Hemifacial microsomia - this is a general term for conditions wherein one side of the face is underdeveloped. Surgeries that can correct microsomia include lower jaw, external ear reconstruction.

Consultation

To know more about your condition and the specificities of your possible treatment, consult a PAPRAS surgeon near you by clicking here. Please be reminded that healing stages are more complex for younger patients and that your doctor may prescribe more than one surgery to address your concern.