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Cleft lip and palate
Normally the palate and lip forms by the fusion of two embryonic masses of tissue that merge in the middle of the face. Failure of these two tissue masses to completely fuse results in a cleft or separation of the palate and/or lip. Some surgeons now repair the cleft lip in the first few days after delivery. Others prefer to wait for several months.
This is Children's Glossary of Medical Terms - and much more. You'll find the basic definitions and, for many medical subjects, a larger medical context written by an experienced Children's pediatrician. All the definitions are in an easy-to-print format.

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Date Last Modified: 08/26/2003 12:36