Orticochea? Calling the Doctors

Factual Questions
1

A friend of mine at work has a 4 year old daughter that is scheduled for surgery to help with a speech disorder. Now, I’m not sure if the procedure is called orticochea, or if it’s the name of the condition.

Anyways, being that it seems to be a rare disorder she can’t seem to find anyone with whom to discuss how the surgery went, or if it was a success. She was told that it’s actually not as intrusive as getting your tonsils taken out, but I can understand her worry. Her daughter will be put under general anesthesia while the procedure is performed(which is always scary).

Now, as far as I understand, her daughter doesn’t have a cleft palate. Her palate is formed in a way to allow to much air to escape through the nasal passage.(I think it’s to long?).

I guess what I’m really asking is for dopers that have any experience in this area. Any warm fuzzies (and successes) that I can send would be most appreciated. Thanks.

Here’s a link as I’m sure most of you aren’t familiar with this.
http://www.miguelorticochea.com/

2

>> Now, I’m not sure if the procedure is called orticochea, or if it’s the name of the condition

Either I am missing something or “orticochea” is the name of a doctor in Bogotá, Colombia, and not the name of any condition or procedure.

3

Sailor, as far as I can tell after looking over the link again, it seems that the procedure is named after the doctor that invented it. What I’m trying to find out is if anyone on the board has had it done. If not, maybe someone has a relative that has gone through it.

4

Angband, forgive me if this is a stupid question.

I looked at the website you gave. The doctor in question appears to work with children (and adults) with cleft palates, which aren’t terribly rare.

Is it possible that it is the technique that is new/rarely done rather than the condition itself?