What is congenital defect correction?
Congenital defect correction is the reconstructive surgery that repairs anatomical differences present from birth, aiming to restore both function —breathing, eating, speaking, moving a hand— and a more harmonious form. It is not a single procedure but a family of very different operations sharing one principle: they are planned around the patient’s development and are frequently carried out in several stages over months or years.
The term covers conditions that differ greatly from one another: cleft lip and palate, deformities of the ear —from prominent ears to partial or total absence of the ear (microtia)—, hand anomalies such as syndactyly (joined fingers) or polydactyly (extra fingers), extensive congenital naevi, malformations of the chest or abdominal wall and certain nasal deformities of congenital origin. Each has its own ideal moment for correction and its own technique.
It should be said plainly from the outset: some of these cases —especially complex facial clefts and major craniofacial malformations— are best managed within a multidisciplinary team, with paediatrics, orthodontics, speech therapy and other specialties. The consultation exists precisely to define what each case needs, when to operate and what additional support is required.
Techniques used by Dr. Arístides Arellano
The technique is chosen according to the condition, the age and the severity. These are the most frequent lines of work in congenital defect correction:
- Cleft lip repair (cheiloplasty): reconstruction of the muscle, skin and mucosa of the lip to restore continuity, symmetry and the Cupid’s bow. When the cleft also affects the nose, the associated nasal deformity is addressed in the same operation or in a later rhinoplasty.
- Cleft palate repair (palatoplasty): closure of the layers of the palate to separate the mouth from the nose and, above all, to allow intelligible speech and normal swallowing. It is a functional operation before an aesthetic one, and its result is followed up with speech therapy.
- Otoplasty for prominent ears: reshaping of the cartilage to reposition ears that stand too far from the head or that lack the antihelical fold. It corrects one of the most common causes of teasing at school.
- Microtia reconstruction: reconstruction of an absent or incomplete ear, usually in stages, using the patient’s own (costal) cartilage to carve the framework. It is one of the most delicate reconstructions and requires several surgical stages.
- Correction of syndactyly and polydactyly: separation of joined fingers —with skin grafts where needed— and controlled removal of extra fingers, respecting the function and growth of the hand.
- Removal of congenital naevi and reconstruction: excision of extensive congenital moles for aesthetic reasons and, in some cases, for medical surveillance, with direct closure, local flaps, grafts or tissue expansion according to size.
- Flaps, grafts and tissue expanders: the toolkit common to nearly all reconstructive surgery —moving healthy tissue to where it is lacking, grafting skin and, when the surface to rebuild is large, expanding healthy skin beforehand to obtain the patient’s own material.
How is it performed?
It depends entirely on the condition. Most of these operations are performed under general anaesthesia in a hospital operating room, and many are planned in stages: a first operation resolves the essentials and the refinements are done later, respecting the patient’s growth. Duration ranges from one to several hours, and some require hospital observation.
The timing of surgery is part of the technique. Certain repairs —cleft lip, for example— have well-established age windows; others wait until a structure finishes developing. That is why a first consultation rarely ends with an immediate surgery date: it ends with a staged plan, with its timings and its support. Operating before or after the right window compromises the result.
All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.
Who is a good candidate?
- A congenital anatomical difference —of the lip, palate, ear, hand, skin or body wall— that affects function or appearance.
- Having reached the appropriate age or developmental stage for the specific repair, which the assessment defines.
- Good general health allowing anaesthesia and surgery; in children, the assessment includes the paediatrician.
- Realistic expectations. Reconstructive surgery improves function and form considerably, but does not always leave a result indistinguishable from normal, and in many cases several stages are needed to approach the goal.
- Willingness, of patient and family, to accept prolonged follow-up and, where appropriate, joint work with other specialties.
Recommended post-surgical treatments
Scar care is central to reconstruction: Dr. Arístides may recommend specific scar management, strict sun protection over the area and, depending on the case, lymphatic drainage or hyperbaric chamber sessions to support healing. See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.
Before and after
Most patients want to see before-and-after photographs before deciding. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, Dr. Arístides Arellano shows real cases —always with documented consent— during your in-person consultation, where you can review results from patients with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Approximate price
Congenital defect correction has no catalogue price, and publishing one would be misleading: no two cases are alike. The cost depends on the condition, on how many stages the plan requires, on whether grafts or tissue expanders are needed, on the length of each operation and on hospital and anaesthetist fees. It is defined at the consultation, with clear, stage-by-stage information. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano. See the price list.
About Dr. Arístides Arellano
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Related patient guide
Before choosing whom to trust with a staged reconstruction: How to choose a plastic surgeon in Puebla — the guide that explains what to verify and what to ask, reviewed by Dr. Arístides Arellano.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Recovery · step by step
- ConsultationThe condition, developmental stage, ideal timing and whether a multidisciplinary team is needed are defined.
- Days 1 to 7Swelling and wound healing. Strict care of the operated area according to the type of surgery.
- Weeks 2 to 6Suture removal and scar control. Sun protection of the area.
- Months 2 to 12Scar maturation. The need for a next stage is assessed.
- Follow-upIn staged reconstructions, the plan extends across the patient growth period.
Frequently asked questions
Which congenital defects can plastic surgery correct?
Many: cleft lip and palate, prominent ears, absence or malformation of the ear (microtia), joined or extra fingers on the hand, extensive congenital naevi, malformations of the chest or abdominal wall and some nasal deformities of congenital origin. Each condition has its own technique and its own ideal moment for correction, both defined at the consultation.
At what age should a congenital defect be operated on?
It depends on the condition. Some repairs, such as cleft lip, have well-established age windows in the first months or years of life; others wait until a structure finishes developing. Operating before or after the right window compromises the result, which is why timing is part of the plan and is defined case by case.
Is the correction done in a single surgery?
Not always. Many congenital reconstructions are planned in stages: a first operation resolves the essentials and the refinements are done later, respecting the growth of the patient. Reconstructions such as microtia require several surgical stages. The assessment explains how many stages your case is likely to need.
How much does it cost to correct a congenital defect in Puebla?
There is no catalogue price because no two cases are alike. The cost depends on the condition, on the number of stages in the plan, on whether grafts or tissue expanders are needed, on the length of each operation and on hospital and anaesthetist fees. It is defined at the consultation, with clear, stage-by-stage information.
Does surgery leave the area as if the defect had never existed?
It improves function and form considerably, but does not always leave a result indistinguishable from normal. Reconstructive surgery repositions, repairs and restores structure; a scar remains that matures over time and, in many cases, several stages are needed to approach the goal. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Are specialists other than the plastic surgeon needed?
Frequently yes. Facial clefts and complex craniofacial malformations are best managed within a multidisciplinary team, with paediatrics, orthodontics, speech therapy and other specialties. The assessment defines what support is needed and coordinates the plan; not everything is resolved in the operating room.
Does cleft palate repair improve speech?
That is its main goal. Palatoplasty closes the layers of the palate to separate the mouth from the nose and allow intelligible speech and normal swallowing. It is a functional operation before an aesthetic one, and its result is followed up with speech therapy to consolidate language development.
Is prominent-ear surgery the same as reconstructing an ear?
No. Otoplasty for prominent ears reshapes cartilage that already exists to reposition the ear, and it is a relatively simple operation. Reconstructing an absent or incomplete ear (microtia) is far more complex: a framework is carved from the patient own cartilage and it is done in stages. They are different problems and different solutions.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.