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Consultations in Munich:
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Craniofacial surgery is designed to correct congenital or trauma-induced malformations of the facial or skull areas.
The famous plastic surgeon, Dr. Paul Tessier, of Paris, France, is the pioneer in craniofacial surgery. In the 1970's, he opened up new
possibilities for the treatment of malformations of the skull in children. Most craniofacial operations are performed in infancy, sometimes
even before the child is six months old. Here is a list of craniofacial defects, which can be treated. Congenital craniofacial defects: - craniosynostosis (premature closure of the cranial sutures) - craniofacial syndromes (e.g. Apert-syndrome or Crouzon-syndrome) - lip, jaw and palate malformation and harelip - facial asymmetry - encephaloceles - facial clefts (described by Tessier) Acquired craniofacial defects: - injuries to the face - tumours Craniofacial operations are interdisciplinary surgeries performed by a team of plastic and neurosurgeons. These competent interdisciplinary teams evaluate and treat the patient and the team includes eye surgeons, ear, nose and throat specialists, maxillo-facial surgeons, orthodontists, anaesthesiologists, genetic specialists, pediatricians, speech therapists and social workers. Failure to treat craniofacial defects can lead to serious functional and aesthetic damage. Functional problems can occur because of increased intracranial pressure and through pathological cranial and facial growth. A disfiguring defect can negatively affect the psychological and social development of the child and retard its social development. Operations to treat premature closure of cranial sutures involve a procedure known as frontal-orbital advancement. A conservative treatment, through use of "head bandaging", or "head positioning" with special helmets, is reserved for slight defects and problems of positioning. With severe facial deformities, the principle of distraction is applied after a repositioning osteotomy of the facial skeletal structure is accomplished. Through a repositioning of the facial bones, an improvement in function and appearance can be brought about. We treat craniofacial conditions with an experienced team of specialists; the craniofacial surgery is performed at Tygerberg Hospital, the academic teaching hospital of Stellenbosch University or at adequately equipped private hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa. |
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