CLEFT LIP PALATE/REPAIR

Overview

Cleft lip also known as (cheiloschisis) and cleft palate also known as (palatoschisis) are most common, and affect children with birth defects. These defects of the palate, or the lip can occur individually, or together, and these conditions can vary from child to child , which may involve one side or both sides of the face.

Cause/Repair

Cleft lip/ our cleft palate occurs very early in the development of unborn child in the early stages. During the development of an unborn child the roof of the mouth and the upper lip fail to take form normally. The cleft lip and the cleft palate repair is a type of plastic surgery to correct this abnormal development, and also to restore the function and the normal appearance.

Most of the clefts can be repaired through various techniques, like plastic surgery improving your child's ability to eat, speak,hear and breathe, and also to restore a normal appearance and function.

Most clefts can be repaired through specialised plastic surgery techniques, improving your child’s ability to eat, speak, hear and breathe, and to restore a more normal appearance and function.

cleft lip palate repair

Risks

It is up to individual whether or not to go ahead with a cleft surgery, and the plastic surgeon would explain the pros and cons, and also the benefits, and potential risks and complications. The surgeon would explain the risks. The surgeon will ask you to sign a consent form to ensure that you have fully understand the procedure.

Some of the risks include:

  • Residual irregularities and asymmetries
  • Poor healing of incisions
  • Irregular healing of scars including contractual(which is when the tissues are pulled together)
  • Bleeding
  • Infection

Anaesthesia risks

You are allergic to the tape, glue,suture material, blood products, topical preparation or injected agents.

The nerves, blood vessels, muscles and lungs, can be damaged due to deep sutures, and the damage which may be temporary or permanent.

Possibility of revisional surgery

As a great concern you may feel, some anxiety, as your child is under going a surgery, or preoperative stress.

During Cleft -Lip and Palate Surgery What is the Procedure?

Step 1 – Anaesthesia

The medications administered, during the surgical procedure, are an intravenous sedation, and general anaesthesia. The doctor will recommend the best for your child, so that your child would be comfortable.

Step 2 – The incision

The main goal of the surgery is to close the separation in the lip, and to make the lip look normal in function and appearance of the upper lip. The incisions are made on either side of the cleft to create flaps of the tissue and then drawn together and stitched to close the cleft.

To repair the cleft palate , this procedure requires careful repositioning of the tissue and muscles to close the cleft and to also rebuild the roof of the mouth. The incisions are made on either side of the cleft, which help to re-build the roof of the mouth. There are incision made on either side of the cleft,and help to rebuild the roof of the mouth. Incisions are made on either side of the cleft and specialised flap techniques which are used to reposition the muscle , which is the hard and soft components of the palate. The repair is then stitched, and closed, at the roof of the mouth, which provides enough of length of the palate,for normal feeding and speech development, throughout life.

Step 3 – Closing the incisions

The surgeon uses, removable or absorb-able sutures, for cleft lip and palate incisions.

Step 4 – See the results

The external scars of the cleft repair are generally positioned in the normal contours, of the upper lip and nose, these scars will fade with time and the chil's ability to grow and function normally will continue to improve.