Care Advancements

At the Craniofacial Center at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM), our team of exceptional craniofacial specialists has helped thousands of children who were born with craniofacial differences, and those who have suffered craniofacial trauma. We have developed particular expertise through the treatment of more than 8,000 patients with cleft lip and palate, craniosynotosis, and other complex conditions. And our multi-disciplinary team of medical and surgical experts has been involved in pioneering some of the most innovative and exciting techniques and methodolgy in the past decade.

Cutting Edge Advancements in Craniofacial Care

One of the most thrilling developments in craniofacial care has been the techniques of distraction osteogenesis. First used to lengthen short limbs, this technology can now be applied to the bones of the face, including the lower jaw, mid-face and cranium. These new techniques have vastly improved the outcomes we are able to achieve.

Another area where improved technology and technique have been used is in the realm of bone fixation. Because of concerns regarding growth, we no longer use the metal wires, plates and screws that are used in surgeries performed on the skull. These plates were once typically left in place for a child's entire life, and while problems did not generally arise, surgeons were concerned about potential, as-yet-unknown side effects from this treatment method. Small plates and screws have since been developed that actually dissolve after bone healing has occurred.

Because our craniofacial surgeons were involved with the basic research that made many of these techniques possible, we have a sophisticated knowledge of how we can best use them to benefit each individual child that we treat.

We are currently conducting research into the genetic pathways that produce craniofacial deformities, in order to eventually prevent them, and when they cannot be avoided, to help physicians better prepare for their occurrence at the time of a child's birth.

Tania Shiminski-Maher, MS, CPNP