Combined cleft and craniofacial team--multidisciplinary approach to cleft management

A combined cleft palate and craniofacial was organized at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, in 1980. The team includes four plastic surgeons, four orthodontists, one prosthodontist, one otolaryngologist, one pediatrician, two speech pathologists, one social worker, one psychologist, two neurosurgeons, one ophthalmologist and a medical artist. Weekly combined clinics and meetings are held regularly to evaluate cleft lip/palate and all craniofacial cases. The team members set up treatment plans for each cleft palate and craniofacial patient, and follow up the patient's facial growth with critical evaluation of the result, complication, relapse and patient's or parent's satisfaction after surgery. Parents' support groups, summer speech camps and conferences between patients, parents and other public resources are held regularly. Longitudinal studies are strictly carried out on specific groups of cleft patients and major craniofacial patients.