Pediatric Surgery
Although "Dr. Joe" treats the reconstructive needs of people of all ages, he has a special passion for helping children with birth and developmental defects. Having trained with some of the world's best surgeons at Los Angeles Children's Hospital, "Dr. Joe" offers first-class surgical treatment right here in Fort Wayne.
Cleft Lip / Palate - A cleft lip is a separation of the upper lip either on one side (unilateral) or on both sides (bilateral). A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth in which the palate did not fuse during fetal development. Both conditions are the result of abnormal facial development during gestation. A cleft lip or a cleft palate can occur on its own, or they may both occur together. A cleft lip/palate requires surgical treatment to repair the defect. To learn more about this disorder, please visit the Cleft Palate Foundation website.
Plagiocephaly - Also known as "Flat Head Syndrome", plagiocephaly is a malformation of the skull caused by positioning, restricted intra-uterine space, or torticollis (tight neck muscles resulting in the baby always turning his/her head in a certain direction). This can be treated by increasing the baby's "Tummy time" and doing stretches to loosen the neck muscles, and may require a molding helmet to re-shape the head. To learn more, please visit Cranial Technologies website.
Craniosynostosis - Craniosynostosis is a birth defect marked by an abnormal shaped head resulting from the premature closure of one or more the sutures, or joints, in the skull. Surgery is usually indicated to open the fused sutures to allow for normal brain growth and to re-shape the skull. Visit the website for Neurosurgery Today for more information on craniosynostosis.
"Dr. Joe" is also the co-founder of Kids First Cleft/Craniofacial Clinics. Kids First is made up of several medical specialists in the Fort Wayne area whose primary focus is to treat cleft lip/palate and related speech disorders. This team approach helps coordinate treatment in order to provide the best possible care for your child. Visit the Kids First website for more information.