Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Care Team

The expert members of our Velopharyngeal Insufficiency (VPI) team are leaders in the diagnosis, treatment and recovery from VPI. They are specialists in the areas of pediatric otolaryngology, speech-language pathology and plastic surgery.

Pediatric Otolaryngology

Karthik Balakrishnan, MD, MPH

Karthik Balakrishnan, MD, MPH

Dr. Balakrishnan is board certified in Complex Pediatric Otolaryngology and Otolaryngology.

Areas of expertise:EXIT-to-airway procedures, aerodigestive disorders, airway reconstruction, in-utero fetal airway surgery, thoracic tracheoplasty, vascular anomalies, velopharyngeal insufficiency, voice and swallow disorders

Speech-Language Pathology

April Johnson, MA, CCC-SLP

April Johnson, MA, CCC-SLP

April Johnson is a speech-language pathologist.

Areas of expertise:Speech-language pathology

Plastic Surgery

Rohit K. Khosla, MD, FACS

Rohit K. Khosla, MD, FACS

Dr. Khosla is the surgical director of the Cleft & Craniofacial Center. He is board certified in Plastic Surgery.

Hermann Peter Lorenz, MD

Hermann Peter Lorenz, MD

Dr. Lorenz is the service chief of Plastic Surgery.  He is board certified in Plastic Surgery.

Derrick Wan, MD

Derrick Wan, MD

Dr. Wan is board certified in Plastic Surgery.

Elena Hopkins, CPNP

Elena Hopkins, CPNP

Areas of expertise:craniofacial surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery