Cleft and Craniofacial Deformities

In the USA and Mexico, one in every 650 births has a cleft deformity. While worldwide numbers differ according to regional ethnicity, several environmental factors such as exposure of the mother to harmful substances and mal-nutrition have been implicated to increase this number.

While the reasons for infant clefting are multifactoral, clearly genetic heredity plays the most important role. Usually the cleft lip is closed at age 10 weeks and the palate at approximately one year. Other staged corrections include ear tubes, nasal correction, bone grafts, and maxillofacial dental prosthetics.

If done at the appropriate times throughout development, favorable outcomes are possible with esthetics and functional speech, hearing, and the ability to eat. In less fortunate regions of the world, socio-economic conditions can lead to a delay of these treatments for the child, if corrected at all. This produces children developing with severe deformities more difficult to correct later in life and social out casting of the child.

ROTARIAN SURGEONS UNITE:
INITIATING CHILDREN'S DEFORMITY HOSPITAL

Surgeons and Dentists from the United States joined forces with those located in Baja California on March 9-10, 2007 to "initiate and cut the ribbon" on the first children's facial-deformity surgical clinic performing complex surgical procedures under general anesthesia with the Mexican town of Tecate's state-of-art facility built specifically for the Centennial Anniversary of Rotary.

Dr. Jeff Moses, retired Carlsbad Maxillofacial Surgeon, Rotarian, and Founder of the Smiles International Foundation along with his wife, Maribel worked closely with Rotarians, doctors and local officials from both sides of the border during the previous year to locate patients and arrange supplies and provide the clinic with critical organizational logistics.

"Without the full support and involvement of the wonderful Rotarians and doctors in the Clubs from California, Oklahoma, and Mexico, this would not have been possible" said Moses. "Many seemingly insurmountable hurdles were transformed into small bumps in the road through their efforts."

The first screening clinic ran in early November of 2005 and the preparations were made for the tri-annually held surgical-dental treatment clinics to begin in the next year in March. Out of the first dozen patients screened and treated, there were four selected for general anesthesia and, in order to benefit the children most, 2-4 surgeries for each child was performed at the same setting ending the Saturday Surgical Day with a total of 12 facial cleft surgical procedures.

The operating team surgeon, Dr. Kevin Smith, also a Rotarian, was accompanied by his co-team leader, Dr. B.J. Costello and their colleagues Drs. Shawne Higashi and Matthew Dudziak from Oklahoma and Pennsylvania respectively.

Drs. Marcos Ramirez, Elizabeth Salinas and Yolanda Villa-Torres from Mexico, worked side-by side with the surgical-dental dental team with Drs. Gary Godward and Bob Fleming providing much-needed dental treatments for the children. Dr. Ramirez also headed the follow-up clinic for the operated children assuring a successful continuity of treatment care.

The official name for this project is "Smiles of Tecate" or more appropriately in Spanish:
"Sonrisas de Tecate"