Cleft Lift Surgeons - USA

Sasha

Sasha

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Due to the increasing number of people looking for information on surgeons who are performing the Cleft Lift (or have at least heard of it), we are providing the list in PDF format. The list will be updated as new names are added. Please note that the names in RED are those surgeons that we KNOW to be practicing Cleft Lifts successfully. The others are known to only have requested info on the procedure.

http://www.pilonidal.org/treatments/find-a-surgeon/


Help us keep the list up to date! If you call someone on the list and find them retired or moved, let us know! Likewise, if you find a surgeon who is doing Cleft Lift and isn't on our list, let us know.
 
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cattie

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another possible Boston Dr.

Okay so I called the office of Dr. Masiakos at Mass. General Hospital but he only does pediatric patients and refers adults for Cleft Lift to Dr. Michael Reinhorn at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Phone 617-244-5355.

Cattie
 
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cheshire

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Dr. Steven Mestitz (Minn) does not perform the cleft lift but instead refers patients to Dr. Finne (Minn), who performs it but isn't accepting new patients right now. Nonetheless, Dr. Mestitz does seem very knowledgable about pilonidals and performs the pit picking procedure.
 
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PilonidalVictim

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My experience with pilonidal surgery began in April 2009 when I was 15. Unfortunately, six months after the pilonidal surgery the area had still not healed, so I went to another doctor, who had some experience with pilonidal disease and was also a dermatologist experienced in laser hair removal.

I went to this doctor's office once or twice a week and they removed hair from the wound and put an antimicrobial mesh into the wound to promote healing. This reduced the depth and length of the opening over time. This doctor's office also performed some laser hair removal on my backside to try to decrease the chance of recurrence. After about a year of the wound getting smaller, the opening would not get any smaller, so they used negative pressure wound treatment to promote tissue granulation and to close up the opening. This seemed to work and in two weeks the wound was almost completely closed. Unfortunately, the wound opened up again a week after stopping negative pressure wound treatment. At this point the doctor referred us to a colorectal surgeon, because they thought there might be more pilonidal disease.

The colorectal surgeon confirmed there were pilonidal pits; performed surgery; and then sent me to a wound care specialist that was also a plastic surgeon. After a few months of treating the wound the wound care specialist concluded that it was not healing well and said skin flap surgery would be required to close the wound. The skin flap completely healed, but three months after the skin flap surgery there was an opening near the base of the skin flap, so I was referred to another colorectal surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Sternberg.

In May 2012, Dr. Jeffrey Sternberg (http://www.pilonidalsurgery.com/) performed the cleft lift procedure. He said this was a difficult case (see above). The surgery took less time than some of the previous operations and the recovery was more rapid. It is now two months and several follow up visits after the surgery and everything is going well. I would strongly recommend Dr. Sternberg to anyone suffering from pilonidal disease.
 
kittygirl

kittygirl

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I had a cleft lift done by Stephen C. Wilson, M.D., F.A.C.S.
General Surgery

his office is located in Encinitas, California
477 N El Camino Real, Suite B303
Encinitas, CA 92024

760-806-5660 Fax 760-753-8177

He's a kinda quiet little guy, he doesn't call the surgery a cleft lift though oddly enough, he'll go into the description instead but it is correct, I'm not sure if he thinks of it more as the Bascom but anyhoo, he does a great job! You can also call him, you have to go through his receptionist first but he will then call you back in person, I had to do this since I had to wait a month for surgery so I forgot a few details, he answered all my questions. He also doesn't believe in open or closed, he doesn't think anyone should be using them anymore.
 
UnluckyOne

UnluckyOne

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Dr. Pelta (in Atlanta) is no longer practicing in the US. As one of his former patients, I received a letter a few months ago saying farewell and explaining that he was running his own practice in another country (which I don't recall, but I believe it was a middle Eastern country).
This is sad because I can no longer refer people to him, but there are other options in Atlanta.
 
naomiama

naomiama

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I just had a cleft lift done in November 2013 by a doctor who is not on this list, I think he did a great job he had all the right answers and believe me I researched the hell out of this before my surgery and to be honest seemed like I knew more than some of the doctors I saw but he knew what he was doing and did a great job, it looks great and is healing good.
He is in Spokane WA
Adam H Juviler
9922 N Nevada
99218
(509)747-6194
 
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Rob Weinsheimer

New Member
I just wanted to add my name to the list of surgeons who perform the cleft lift procedure, pit picking.
I am a pediatric surgeon in Seattle, WA and so treat patients typically up to age 18. I visited Dr. Bascom in Eugene, OR last year and found his tips quite helpful.
I think the work that the Bascoms have done is truly remarkable. Thanks very much.
Rob Weinsheimer, MD
Swedish Pediatric Surgery
1101 Madison St.
Suite 800
Seattle, WA 98104
Office: (206) 215-2700
 
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wa2124

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Disappointed to see the Seattle section still not up to date. Taken from an earlier posting of mine:

Richard Billingham - no longer in practice
Mark Kimmins - moved to Anchorage
Mika Sinanan - told by nurse he no longer / doesn't work with pilonidals, referred back to general surgeons

The page needs to be updated.
 
Dandoun

Dandoun

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The PDF list looks funky when I open it. The letters are all squares and stuff. Can you guys provide another pdf?
 
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OneWholeButt

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In the process of doing a write up, and open for questions.

I had a cleft lift performed by Dr. Caplan in Pennsylvania, surgery was great, recovery only had a few minor speed bumps, and here I am 8 months later and proudly sitting and washing and having sex like this disease never knew my name. Dr. Caplan is hilarious, and a professional through and through, he performs in Philly and also the Paoli Surgical Center in Exton PA, which I recommend.

Pennsylvania Plastic Surgery: Caplan Howard MD  

Doctor
Address: 601 Walnut St # 506, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone 215 629-1866
 
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worried mama

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Hi! My son had a cleft lift this week with a fantastic surgeon in Indpls, Indiana. The doctor is Ronald Baughman and he works out of Community North. Address is 8040 Clearvista Pkwy, Ste 490, Indpls 46256 Phone is 317-621-5450 I would highly recommend Dr Baughman to anybody dealing with this disease, he is extremely knowledgeable and professional. Thank you to everybody on this website, a wealth of information, more helpful than you will ever know!
 
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Obi_Wan_Jabroni

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I had cleft lift surgery on September 26th with Dr. Melinda Hawkins in Seattle, WA. She is a colleague of Dr. Bastawrous, who is already on the list, and she is a Board-Certified Colon and Rectal Surgeon. She was the only doctor to correctly diagnose and operate on me, and I saw 4-5 other doctors before that. Though I'm not quite out of the woods yet, I think she's done a really good job so far, and she's the only doctor I trust to handle this issue. She's very knowledgeable, nice, compassionate, and confident, but she also has a no-BS style. She doesn't sugar-coat things from what I've seen. She has the same contact info and is based out of the same office at Swedish as Dr. Bastawrous on the list.
 
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Ugghh

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Just wanted to pass along that one of well known surgeons on the Hall of Fame has moved his practice. Dr. Marc Brand in Chicago is no longer at Rush. He is now affiliated with Dupage Medical Group.

Contact info - /

My son just had a cleft with Dr. Brand a week ago after living with 2 years of pilonidal hell. So far so good.
 
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Corky

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Ugghh said:
Just wanted to pass along that one of well known surgeons on the Hall of Fame has moved his practice. Dr. Marc Brand in Chicago is no longer at Rush. He is now affiliated with Dupage Medical Group.

Contact info - /

My son just had a cleft with Dr. Brand a week ago after living with 2 years of pilonidal hell. So far so good.
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Just wondering how your son is doing?? My son has had the issue for less than a year but it truly is a nightmare and has been hard to know what to do after visiting two different surgeons. We were set on the rotational flap...but after reading through these forums I have actually just made an appointment with Dr. Brand (any idea why he left Rush?) to discuss the cleft lift. I wanted to ask how your son is feeling and if you feel he is 'cured'?? If we did end up doing the surgery...we would have to have it over his winter break so he would be home just four weeks and then head back to college- out of state-so hoping this truly is the answer for us! Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom...
 
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KalMel60

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worried mama said:
Hi! My son had a cleft lift this week with a fantastic surgeon in Indpls, Indiana. The doctor is Ronald Baughman and he works out of Community North. Address is 8040 Clearvista Pkwy, Ste 490, Indpls 46256 Phone is 317-621-5450 I would highly recommend Dr Baughman to anybody dealing with this disease, he is extremely knowledgeable and professional. Thank you to everybody on this website, a wealth of information, more helpful than you will ever know!
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Thanks for sharing info, I look forward to contacting this Dr. I also am a worried Mama looking for the best outcome for my son
 
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tbear

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Has anyone had a successful experience with any doctors in Cleveland that they would like to share? Also a Mom looking for a good outcome for her son.
 
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