Ralph Millard


David Ralph Millard, Jr. was a plastic surgeon who developed several techniques used in cleft lip and palate surgeries. He was chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine for 28 years, and maintained a private practice in Miami.

Early life

Millard was born at Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri. He attended the Asheville School in Asheville, North Carolina. He played football at Yale, studied medicine at Harvard Medical School in 1944 and interned in pediatric surgery at Boston Children's Hospital. A U.S. Navy veteran, he served stateside in World War II but in Korea during the Korean War, where he became interested in local children with cleft lips.

The Millard repair procedure

The rotation-advancement procedure for cleft lip repair, also known as the Millard repair, is designed to create a softer, more natural-looking lip. Surgery performed prior to the Millard procedure involved pulling both sides of the cleft lip together resulting in a tightly closed upper lip. The Millard procedure rotates the tissue and creates a "Z" shaped scar instead. The "Z" shape gives the tissue more elasticity, resulting in greater flexibility and restoration of the Cupid's bow.

Recognition

In 2000, Millard was nominated as one of "10 Plastic Surgeons of the Millennium" by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In the April 2000 issue of Plastic Surgery News, Millard was described as "the most brilliant and creative plastic surgeon we have alive. His work and publications speak for themselves." He is considered to be one of the founders of modern reconstructive facial surgery.

Personal life

Millard had two sons, a daughter, and six grandchildren.