Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, Fulbari, Siliguri 734015

Cleft Palate

Cleft Palate Repair • 30 min

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Book a Cleft Palate Consultation with Dr. Karan Ratna Pradhan. During your consultation, every concern is discussed in detail and a personalised treatment plan is created for you.

Key Highlights

  • ✓Closes a congenital gap in the roof of the mouth
  • ✓Restores separation between the mouth and nasal cavity
  • ✓Supports normal feeding and future speech development
  • ✓Typically performed later in infancy than lip repair
Dr. Karan Ratna Pradhan

Dr. Karan Ratna Pradhan

Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon

MBBS, MS - General Surgery

Personalised care, natural-looking results

Who Is a Good Candidate

  • ✓Infants with a cleft palate (with or without cleft lip)
  • ✓Generally healthy and meeting age/weight criteria for anesthesia (commonly around 9-12 months)
  • ✓Coordinated care with a cleft/craniofacial team

Procedure Details

Performed under general anesthesia. The tissue lining the roof of the mouth is repositioned and closed in layers to separate the oral and nasal cavities and reconstruct the muscles needed for normal speech. Duration is typically 1.5-3 hours.

Recovery Timeline

  1. Day 1-3 Hospital observation; a modified feeding approach (soft diet, special feeders) is used.
  2. Week 1-3 Soft-diet feeding continues while the repair heals; arm restraints may be used briefly.
  3. Month 1-3 Healing consolidates; speech and hearing follow-up begins as part of ongoing cleft care.
  4. Ongoing Regular speech therapy and dental/orthodontic follow-up continue through childhood.

Risks & Complications

As with any procedure, individual risk depends on your health history and will be discussed fully during consultation.

  • !Fistula (small residual opening) requiring later repair
  • !Speech or resonance issues requiring speech therapy or further surgery
  • !Infection or wound breakdown
  • !Feeding difficulty during initial healing

Dr. Karan Ratna Pradhan's Approach

Dr. Pradhan's practice is built on the principle that plastic and reconstructive surgery should look natural, not "done." Reconstructive cases are approached with the goal of restoring both function and appearance, with each patient's care planned clearly in advance, including any staged procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age is cleft palate repair usually done?
It is commonly performed between about 9-12 months, balancing surgical safety with the importance of early speech development.
Will my child need speech therapy afterward?
Many children benefit from speech therapy as part of a long-term cleft care plan, monitored by the wider care team.
Is one surgery usually enough?
The main repair is typically one procedure, though some children need a later, smaller procedure if a fistula or speech issue develops.

Book a Consultation in Siliguri

DrKR Pradhan Plastic Surgery

Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, Fulbari, Siliguri 734015

+91 8638126219

Book a Consultation in Siliguri
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Service Details

Cleft Palate

More details
  • Closes a congenital gap in the roof of the mouth
  • Restores separation between the mouth and nasal cavity
  • Supports normal feeding and future speech development
  • Typically performed later in infancy than lip repair
Duration30 min
Price₹0.00