Dr. Chariker Published in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery

Did you know that Dr. Chariker is also an author? Many of his cases have been written up in professional journals, like his most recent entry, in the March 2011 edition of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.

Dr. Chariker has done hundreds of cleft palate surgeries over the years, but every now and then, you get one that is one for the history books. Recently a mother brought her three-day-old infant daughter to us for a consult for a cleft palate surgery. The baby had a large cleft in the roof of her mouth and was having trouble feeding.

Upon further examination, we could see she had not just a cleft, but a mass protruding through her cleft that was actually covered with fine, soft hair. An x-ray revealed that the mass was connected through her palate to the base of her skull. Surgery was recommended, and the infant pulled through well. Pathology on the removed tumor showed that it was not cancer, or even a benign tumor. It was a duplicate pituitary gland—one of only 40 such cases ever recorded worldwide.

“We’re very happy we could treat this child so early. No one knows why this tumor grew as a malformation in the mouth. However, the pituitary gland is responsible for the distribution of growth hormone in the body. Having two working glands could have created real growth imbalances for this child. Now, she’ll have a nearly normal appearance, no eating problems, and no problems with the continued growth of that unnecessary gland. Her prognosis is great,” Dr. Chariker said.

We’re glad we could help this little girl, and at the same time, contribute to the body of knowledge about treating these rare disorders!