Profile
The Cleft Center Prague provides care for patients with facial clefts and other rare congenital facial defects for the western part of the Czech Republic. The center was established in 2001 at the University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady. Its task is to register new patients, to provide and evaluate cleft treatment according to the European protocol, carry out comparative studies and cooperate with European cleft teams. Tthe tradition of this care was founded by Prof. F. Burian, M.D..
The cleft center registers 60-80 new patients a year. The multidisciplinary team includes an anesthesiologist, geneticist, ultrasound specialist, ENT specialist, orthodontist, plastic surgeon, maxillofacial surgeon, pediatrician, psychologist, speech language therapist and others. This team is dedicated to clients from birth to adulthood. This approach enables us to provide special care and tailoring of treatment.
Nevertheless, the treatment is covered by health insurance companies. The center also provides care for children with functional disorders of the soft palate.
History
The cleft facial defects were first treated at a plastic surgery department at the Jedlička Institute, Prague(1918-1926). Thanks to the exceptional work of prof. Frantisek Burian (1881–1965), who received international recognition, the workplace moved to Kralovske Vinohrady Hospital in 1927. In 1932 the plastic surgery was recognized as a separate field in Czechoslovakia, and also in the world. In 1948, the Department of Plastic Surgery and later a research institute were established at the University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady. Prof. F. Burian has been interested in cleft issues throughout his whole life, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach and striving for continuous improvement. He has written over 200 publications on facial clefts.
His work was followed by prof. Miroslav Fara, M.D (1923–2013). His anatomical studies are presented in the world’s most important publications concerning on the issue of birth facial defects. He was followed by Jirina Kuderova, M.D who deepened the cooperation of the multidisciplinary team, and also her colleague Eva Leamerova, M.D . Both enforced the establishment of the Center for Cleft Defects for the region of Bohemia in 2001. The center supports European standards – Early care services for babies born with cleft lip and/or palate, Nov 2014.