Over the past 20 years, Thailand has been successful in expanding oral health research capacity through a series of NIH D43 and D71 grants. As a result of this expansion, an exciting new creation has emerged from Khon Kaen University. The Nasal Creator Device has been developed for cleft lip and palate patients. It is used for forming and retaining the nasal morphology of patients during and after lip and nose surgeries. It serves as an efficient nasal retainer without the need for additional devices, and helps reduce the use of medical tape, which can cause skin allergies and irritations among some patients. After use, patients who use this device will see a nearly normal face shape. It’s available in various sizes which can be matched to Thai children. In conjunction with surgery, the use of this device helps improve the quality of medical treatment. This plays a vital part in the development of skull and facial morphology and articulation of cleft lip and palate patients.
This innovative device has won several awards, including the National Innovation Awards, Thailand Research Council, and the Silver Medal from the INNOVATION GENEVA. It has been certified by the National Health Security Office for use in the treatment for cleft lip and palate patients. It has been distributed to cleft lip and palate treatment centers in Thailand and Southeast Asia. No commercial launch of the product has been made. Kudos to Dr. Poonsak Pisek and his team on this successful innovation that will impact such a vulnerable population.