Title: Multidisciplinary treatment of cleft lip and palate: experience of the IMIP Center for Treatment of Craniofacial Abnormalities in Recife, Northeast Region of Brazil
Abstract:
Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are among the most common congenital craniofacial anomalies worldwide, with significant functional, aesthetic, and psychosocial implications. The IMIP Center for the Care of Facial Defects is a reference center in Brazil for the diagnosis and management of these conditions and the treatment is 100% funded by the brazilian health system, health institution.
Objective: To describe the epidemiology, clinical approach, and multidisciplinary management protocols for patients with CLP at CADEFI.
Methods: This descriptive report summarizes institutional data and outlines the comprehensive care model implemented at CADEFI, integrating surgical, dental, speech, and psychosocial interventions.
Results: Since its accreditation by the Brazilian Ministry of Health in 2002 for high-complexity procedures, CADEFI has registered over 9,571 patients with CLP and other craniofacial anomalies. The center’s multidisciplinary team provides care starting with prenatal diagnosis and continuing through staged interventions, including primary cheiloplasty at approximately 6 months and palatoplasty between 9–12 months of age, followed by long-term rehabilitation. Epidemiological data indicate a global CLP prevalence of approximately 1:600 live births, with regional variations. In Brazil, estimates range from 0.43 per 1,000 live births to 2,900–4,400 new cases annually.
Conclusion: The CADEFI model demonstrates the importance of coordinated multidisciplinary care in improving surgical, functional, and psychosocial outcomes for individuals with CLP, ultimately promoting social inclusion.
