Some of the oral surgeons, head-and-neck experts, and plastic craniofacial surgeons I often write about also deal with accident victims and cancer patients. Let's look now at one of the conditions these patients endure, oral cancer. (I'll deal with patients with skin cancer and gunshot or auto crash trauma another time.) Before getting to the surgical issues regarding oral cancer, let's examine the basics of this cancer that strikes about 43,000 new Americans each year, according to The Oral … [Read more...]
Putting Humpty Dumpty back together—— cleft lip repair.
Not much has changed surgery-wise for clefts since the mid 20th Century when I had my initial cleft lip and palate repairs. At least this is the case with regard to most closures of clefts. Cutting edge (no pun intended) treatments experiment with wires, retainers, and orthodontia-type contrivances to non-surgically pull the cleft palate together. Cleft lip and palate are caused by abnormal facial development that occurs while the child is still in the womb. The upper lip and roof of the … [Read more...]
New Year’s Resolution: give back like this cleft lip girl.
A heartwarming CBS news story caught my attention the other day.* It's about a young cleft lip girl (adopted from a Chinese orphanage) who donates stuffed animals to fire and police departments. The idea is for officers to give them to the kids they encounter who're caught up in the stressful situation they're responding to. So, please add one more New Year's resolution to your list, or replace one that you've already broken. The resolution is simply to give back in 2015, mindful of the … [Read more...]
Celeb Heroes help repair cleft lips and palates.
Just found out about a bunch of celebs like Gwen Stefani* and Harrison Ford** who’ve signed holiday tree ornaments, which are being auctioned off on eBay. Go here to bid before the December 16 deadline to get an autographed, quality Balsam Hill*** ornament—perhaps for a song (many are $7 to $70 at the moment)—to benefit OperationSmile. As you may know, the non-profit Operation Smile provides free cleft lip and cleft palate surgery to children in more than 60 countries. Cleft lip and palate: … [Read more...]
Harelip, hairlip, and other hairy words.
As a blogger and writer (Cleft Heart and other books) , I get caught up from time to time in the etymology of words (as opposed to that insect stuff, entomology). Etymology is the study of a word's history, origins, and how it's use and meaning have changed over time. Harelip When it comes to a hairy word like harelip, I must get serious first before we can have some fun with some hairy words . The term “harelip” can be considered offensive by many. The little girl pictured here—as all girls … [Read more...]
QB Peyton Manning: Cleft lip star makes history.
It was a special night for the Special Needs community. Bronco QB Peyton Manning threw Touchdown Pass number 509 to become NFL's all-time touchdown king. Cleft Lip steeled star for later surgeries. Here's how the Denver Post covered it. Cellphones were raised in unison at 7:40 p.m. The cheapest tickets for this game were priced at $301 in section 507, the highest $12,000 on the 308 club level. No one among the 77,047 standing fans was going anywhere at Sports Authority Field at Mile High … [Read more...]
O.J. Pistorius? Another psychopath like O.J?
Judge Thokozile Masipa handed down her judgment in a South African high court on Friday. She found Oscar Pistorius guilty of "culpable homicide,'' similar to American "manslaughter." But whether it's the equivalent of American voluntary or involuntary manslaughter may be resolved when she sentences him. Judge Masipa felt prosecutors didn't make a strong enough case for premeditation which would've meant Pistorius was guilty of first degree murder. Bladerunner Pistorius During the sentencing … [Read more...]