Dallas Plastic Surgeon Dr. Jejurikar Works With Smile Bangladesh

Beneath the lush hills, rivers, and forests of Bangladesh lies a seemingly invisible crisis that affects hundreds of thousands of people. This crisis, cleft lip, has far-reaching implications that impact not only the health of affected individuals but also their social standing. In Bangladesh society, those who are afflicted with cleft lip are generally shunned, making it difficult to find acceptance. This is made all the more tragic by the fact that more than 300,000 children in Bangladesh suffer from cleft lip, meaning that thousands of children will live their entire lives facing discrimination.

Bangladesh does not have a comprehensive health care system in place that provides coverage for cleft lip surgery, leaving families to fend for themselves. With poverty rampant in the country, corrective surgery – which is generally too expensive for the average Bangladeshi – is just a distant dream.

Seeing the plight of the Bangladesh people, Dr. Sameer Jejurikar and Smile Bangladesh volunteer their time and expertise to perform as many cleft lip surgeries as they can. Their goal is to restore smiles to the people of Bangladesh.

What Is Cleft Lip?

A cleft lip is an opening or split in the upper lip. This can occur when facial structures aren't formed correctly in the womb, which leaves the child with a disfigurement. Cleft lip and cleft palate – which occurs when the roof of the mouth doesn't close completely – are the most common congenital disabilities. Though cleft lip tends to occur as an isolated birth defect, it's also associated with inherited genetic conditions or syndromes. This may be an explanation for why so many people in Bangladesh struggle with this affliction.

It can be very upsetting if a child is born with a cleft lip. However, it can be corrected with a relatively simple surgery. For infants in Bangladesh, not only can surgery improve their appearance with minimal scarring, but it can also ensure that they grow up to be accepted in their society without the fear of being ostracized.

When Should You See a Doctor for Cleft Lip?

Typically, if cleft lip is noticed at birth, your doctor should begin coordinating care right away to correct the issue. Unfortunately, the people of Bangladesh don't have this option. Many Bangladeshi citizens born with cleft lip are forced to accept the sad reality that they must live with the affliction for the rest of their lives.

Living with a cleft lip in Bangladesh means living with societal stigma. Unfortunately, this negative stigma doesn't just affect the child but the mother as well. It's widely believed that children are only born with a cleft lip because their mothers cut vegetables and fish during an eclipse while they were pregnant. Though this belief is outdated, it still proves to be an issue for those whose children are born with cleft lips.

The Mission of Smile Bangladesh

Bangladesh's health care system does not have the capacity to care for the massive number of cleft lip patients in the country. To fill this void, Smile Bangladesh steps forward to meet this enormous need. Based in New Jersey, Smile Bangladesh is a non-profit medical organization that's dedicated to caring for children and adults who struggle with facial deformities around the world.

The organization plans multiple trips every year to Bangladesh to fulfill its mission of aiding as many people as it can. With the help of medical professionals like Dr. Jejurikar, the organization provides free facial reconstruction surgery to the people of Bangladesh. Though the organization can only help so many people during each trip, each surgery transforms a life for the better.

Cleft Lip Complications

A cleft lip is more than a cosmetic issue, as it is also associated with a number of medical complications. For this reason, Dr. Jejurikar and Smile Bangladesh have made it their priority to aid the people of Bangladesh who require their services.

There are many symptoms of cleft lip that surgeons can correct with surgery including:

● Dental issues: It should come as no surprise that a facial deformity also comes with potential dental problems. Children born with cleft lips may encounter dental issues because their teeth may not form properly. As such, it's common for cleft lip patients to receive orthodontic treatment.

● Speech and language delay: Cleft lip affects the formation of the mouth, making it difficult for some patients to form proper speech patterns. They may develop abnormal speech patterns or a delay in speech. In Bangladesh, this can further contribute to patients being ostracized.

● Ear infections: You may be wondering how a facial deformity can have an impact on hearing. This can occur due to a dysfunction between the tube that connects the middle ear and the throat. Patients who experience multiple ear infections are even at risk of losing their hearing entirely.

● Issues with eating: Eating is a vital function of survival. Though patients with cleft lips can often eat just fine, those with cleft palates are in danger of experiencing feeding difficulties. This is primarily a danger for infants, as they may not have the ability to suckle correctly, which could lead to starvation unless another method of feeding is implemented.

How Accessible Is Cleft Lip Surgery in Bangladesh?

One of the great tragedies of the cleft lip epidemic in Bangladesh is that corrective surgery is relatively inexpensive and straightforward to perform in other countries. With an adequate health care system in place, surgeons can repair cleft lips in newborn children in the first few months of life.

The surgery involves a special technique to suture the two parts of the lip together. At the hands of a skilled cosmetic surgeon, like Dr. Jejurikar and his colleagues at Smile Bangladesh, scarring is often minimal. In some instances, it may take multiple surgeries to suture the lip properly.

Unfortunately, there are only 30 surgeons in Bangladesh with the formal training to perform cleft lip surgery. In other words, there simply aren't enough skilled cosmetic surgeons in the country to meet the demand. With this in mind, Smile Bangladesh has a massive job ahead of it as the organization moves forward with its mission to help the people of Bangladesh.

Dr. Jejurikar Gives Back

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Sameer Jejurikar has helped thousands of patients at his Dallas-based practice. Dr. Jejurikar is widely recognized for his breakthroughs with the Brazilian Butt lift and other surgeries, including “mommy makeovers” and Mohs reconstruction.

Dr. Jejurikar began his journey at the University of Michigan, where he received his undergraduate degree. He then studied preliminary surgery and plastic surgery for eight more years. Eventually, he was awarded dual certificates from both NYU and the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital. Dr. Jejurikar is a member of both the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He's also certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Jejurikar is perhaps most well known for his Brazilian Butt Lift expertise. He's a member of the Multisociety Gluteal Fat Grafting Task Force and works tirelessly to minimize the risks associated with the Brazilian Butt Lift procedure. Dr. Jejurikar regularly gives his time and expertise to aid the mission of Smile Bangladesh. With each surgery he completes, he changes a life for the better.