Cleft lip and cleft palate repair is surgery to fix birth defects of the upper lip and palate (roof of the mouth).
Alternative NamesOrofacial cleft; Craniofacial birth defect repair; Cheiloplasty; Cleft rhinoplasty; Palatoplasty; Tip rhinoplasty
DescriptionA cleft lip is a birth defect:
Most times, cleft lip repair is done when the child is 6 to 12 weeks old.
For cleft lip surgery, your child will have general anesthesia (asleep and not feeling pain). The surgeon will trim the tissues and sew the lip together. The stitches will be very small so that the scar is as small as possible. Most of the stitches will absorb into the tissue as the scar heals, so they will not have to be removed later.
Most times, cleft palate repair is done when the child is older, between 9 months and 1 year old. This allows the palate to change as the baby grows. Doing the repair when the child is this age will help prevent further speech problems as the child develops.
In cleft palate repair, your child will have general anesthesia (asleep and not feeling pain). Tissue from the roof of the mouth may be moved over to cover the soft palate. Sometimes a child will need more than 1 surgery to completely close the palate.
During these procedures, the surgeon may also need to repair the tip of your child's nose. This surgery is called rhinoplasty.
Why the Procedure Is PerformedThis type of surgery is done to correct a physical defect caused by a cleft lip or cleft palate. It is important to correct these conditions when they cause problems with nursing, feeding, or speech.
RisksRisks from any anesthesia are:
Risks from any surgery are:
Problems these surgeries may cause are:
You will meet with a speech therapist or feeding therapist soon after your child is born. The therapist will help you find the best way to feed your child before the surgery. Your child must gain weight and be healthy before surgery.
Your child's surgeon may:
Always tell your child's doctor or nurse:
During the days before the surgery:
On the day of the surgery:
Most times, your child will not be able to drink or eat anything for several hours before the surgery.
Your child will probably be in the hospital for 5 to 7 days right after surgery. Complete recovery can take up to 4 weeks.
The surgery wound must be kept very clean as it heals. It must not be stretched or have any pressure put on it for 3 to 4 weeks. Your child's nurse should show you how to take care of the wound. You will need to clean it with soap and water or a special cleaning liquid, and keep it moist with ointment.
Until the wound heals, your child will be on a liquid diet. Your child will probably have to wear arm cuffs or splints to limit their arm movement. It is important they do not put their hands or toys in their mouth.
Outlook (Prognosis)Most babies heal without problems. How your child will look after healing often depends on how serious their defect was. Your child might need another surgery to fix their scar from the surgery wound.
If your child had a cleft palate repair, they may need to see a dentist or orthodontist. Their teeth may need correcting as they come in.
Hearing problems are common in children with cleft lip or cleft palate. Your child should have a hearing test early on, and it should be repeated over time.
Your child may still have problems with speech after the surgery. This is caused by muscle problems in the palate. Speech therapy will help your child.
ReferencesArosarena OA. Cleft lip and palate. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2007 Feb;40(1):27-60.
Friedman O, Wang TD, Milczuk HA. Cleft lip and palate. In: Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2005:chap 176.
A cleft lip is a congenital fissure that involves the upper lip. A cleft palate involves the hard or soft palate.
A "cleft lip" affects just the patient's lip, and a "cleft palate" affects the palate, or the roof of your mouth.
Cleft lip and palate can be diagnosed before birth by ultrasound
A congenital fissure of the palate affecting the upper lip, hard palate, and soft palate is known as a cleft palate. This condition occurs during fetal development when the tissues forming the roof of the mouth do not fuse together properly. Cleft palate can lead to feeding difficulties, speech problems, and may require surgical intervention to repair.
If you're referring to the scientific/medical name for cleft lip and palate, they are:Cheiloschisis for cleft lipPalatoschisis for cleft palate
Cat lip or the Harelip is a disease called Cleft lip (cheiloschisis) or cleft palate (palatoschisis). However they can occur together as Cleft lip and palate.
One can find information on cleft lip and palate on various websites like LittleBabyFace and WebMD. Both websites offer a great amount of information about cleft lip and palate.
Cleft lip and palate can be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Specific chromosomes are not typically associated with this condition, but there may be genetic variations present that increase the risk of developing cleft lip and palate. Genetic testing and counseling can help determine the specific factors contributing to an individual's cleft lip and palate.
About 1 in 700 children are born with a cleft palate and/or a cleft lip.
A cleft lip and cleft palate is a disorder in which a baby's lip and/or palate did not fully form while in the mother's womb. One of the complications of a child with a cleft palate include not being able to create suction in their mouth in order to nurse or drink from a bottle.
V30.01 Newborn, single, delivered with ceasaren 749.20 cleft palate and cleft lip unspecified
Cleft lip occurs more often in males, while cleft palate is more likely to occur in females. Cleft lip alone occurs in about 20% of cases, both genders. 80%--have both cleft lip and cleft palate.