Craniofacial Surgery (Pediatric and Adult)

At Mount Sinai, you receive the most expert and comprehensive care in treating complex craniofacial malformations. From your diagnosis and treatment to recovery, our team approach helps children and adults with cleft and craniofacial anomalies reach your full potential. Even in severe cases, our goal is to minimize the physical and psychological consequences of such anomalies, giving our patients access to a fuller, more satisfying life.

Our physicians will work directly with you and your family to develop the best personalized treatment plan based on your individual needs. We take your concerns seriously and have the expertise to diagnose and treat all aspects of cleft and craniofacial care.

Abnormalities of the head and neck require extra attention to care, since these conditions can impact how you function every day. Some of the treatments we perform include: cleft lip and palate surgery, craniofacial surgery (skull and facial bones), and orthognathic surgery (facial deformities of the upper and lower jaw). We provide the latest and safest treatment innovations, which will restore your quality of life. Our dedicated team of surgeons and healthcare professionals are here to comfort your needs and ensure that you receive an excellent patient experience.

Mount Sinai is a leader in the area of facial reconstructive surgery providing outstanding outcomes. Craniofacial surgery treats skull and facial bones and surrounding soft tissue. Our team of distinguished facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons offers you state-of-the-art care for all areas of reconstructive craniofacial surgery.

Conditions We Treat

In addition to our treating cleft palate, we are committed to providing the safest and highest quality treatments for the following areas of craniofacial conditions as well, including:

• Craniosynostosis (skull anomalies)—the premature fusion of skull bones, can create an abnormal head shape and increased pressure within the skull. There are several types of craniosynostosis, and our surgeons treat all forms, including these categories: coronal synostosis, lambdoid synostosis, metopic synostosis, and sagittal synostosis.
  
  Treatment for craniosynostosis often involves cranial vault reconstruction, usually performed in the first year of life depending on the severity of the condition. It involves removing, reshaping, and replacing the affected bones.

• Craniofacial syndromes—may or may not affect other parts of the body. We treat several related conditions. Apert syndrome affects areas of the head, face, hands and feet. Couzon syndrome impacts the shape of the head, appearance of the face, and teeth, and a child with Crouzon syndrome will have craniosynostosis. Pfeiffer syndrome creates malformations that affect the shape of the head, the appearance of the face, and the relationship of the teeth, as well as broad, short thumbs, and big toes.
  
  Treatment for craniofacial syndromes: treatment is done during in early or late infancy, depending on the presence and severity of the symptoms. Treatment includes cranial vault reconstruction to alleviate increased intracranial pressure and removal, reshaping, and replacement of the bones that may take place in several stages.

• Ear deformities—there are several congenital ear anomalies, including prominence of one or both ears. There can also be partial or complete absence of the ears, called microtia.
  
  Treatment for ear deformities: otoplasty is the plastic surgical procedure most commonly used to correct a prominent ear deformity. There are several techniques for reconstructing the ear, including sculpting a new cartilage framework from the ribs, or removing the abnormal cartilage.

• Eyelid Deformities—we treat congenital anomalies affecting the eyes and eyelids, such as eyelid ptosis, which is drooping of the upper eyelid caused by weakness or separation of the muscle that raises the eyelid or a problem with the nerve that sends messages to this muscle.
  
  Treatment for eyelid deformities: drooping of the eyelid usually requires corrective surgery to strengthen or tighten the muscles.

• Midface deformities—we treat a full range of congenital anomalies that affect the structures of the midface, which includes the bones of the nose, cheeks, and upper jaw. Hemifacial macrosomia occurs when parts of the face, such as the ear, mouth, and lower jaw do not fully develop, and is characterized by down-slanting eyes, a small cheek and lower jaw, and ear deformities.
  
  Treatment for midface deformities: Interventions may involve reconstruction of several parts of the face to restore appearance as well as functions, such as breathing, feeding, and hearing.

Our surgeons are committed to improving your child’s appearance and quality of life.