Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery

Cleft lip and cleft palate are congenital deformities. These issues occur during fetal development. A cleft lip refers to an abnormal upper lip- the opening of the upper lip is not normal, or there is a gap in the upper lip. Meanwhile, a cleft palate indicates the abnormality or malfunctioning of the palate or the roof of the mouth. Cleft lip and palate surgery in Islamabad improves facial appearance and restores the functions, appearance and aesthetics of the lips and palate of an infant.

If you are a parent of an infant who is dealing with these abnormalities, then you must understand this problem, the treatment required and what to expect. Normally, this surgery is performed in the first year or before 18 months. This is the age when a child is totally dependent on his/her parents and parents must know about some procedures regarding this treatment to ensure their child gets the best treatment.

Why Treating These Issues Are Necessary?

  • Treating these abnormalities restores normal appearance and functions 
  • Enables palate and the lip to prevent speech impairment
  • Allows normal feeding to a baby and fosters his/her growth 
  • Restores facial appearance and makes a baby look normal
  • Proper treatment also reduces the chances of other associated issues 
  • Prevents teeth misalignment and keeps dental health optimal
  • Supports normal growth and development of a baby
  • Early treatment makes a child live a normal life; otherwise, life can be difficult.

Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery: What To Expect

Congenital deformities can lead to long-term consequences. Parents must ensure their child gets rid of these problems at an early stage, enabling them to live a normal life.

First of all, parents should get a proper medical evaluation of their children in order to ensure whether their child is healthy and ready for this surgical treatment. They must get a consultation session with a surgeon to educate themselves about the procedure, treatment approaches, and aftercare procedures to make sure that their baby does not experience any adverse effects.

During the treatment, anaesthesia is used, and the baby is made unconscious to experience a comfortable experience. Following this, a surgeon starts the surgery. To deal with cleft lip, the surgeon makes incisions along the edges and adjusts the positioning of the upper lip’s muscles. While a surgeon rearranges the muscles of the roof of the mouth to correct the shape and appearance of the palate.

Following surgery, parents must follow aftercare instructions or post-operative measures to ensure their baby gets optimal results from the surgery. It is important to consider the instructions of the surgeon to feed the child properly and manage the pain and discomfort that the baby can experience. Sometimes, it becomes necessary to get orthodontic treatments or speech therapy to improve the appearance and functions of the treated area.

Generally, surgical interventions are necessary if your baby is experiencing cleft lip and palate. Proper treatment will improve facial appearance by addressing cosmetic concerns, improving the treated areas’ functionalities and lowering the risk of further complications. In sum, this treatment brings positive outcomes and improves the quality of your baby’s life.

The Bottom Line:

Congenital issues such as cleft lip and palate dismantle the appearance and functions of the lips and mouth. Treating these congenital issues is essential to ensure your child lives a normal and happy life. During surgical intervention, tissues from the lips and the roof of the mouth are rearranged and stitched properly to improve the appearance and facial aesthetics and add value to the life of that child. This treatment deals with cosmetic concerns, reduces the risk of complications and improves the functionalities of the treated area.

Schedule your appointment at Royal Cosmetic Surgery Islamabad to deal with cosmetic issues. If your infant is experiencing cleft lip and palate, then do consider us because we offer personalised treatments and ensure your child gets optimal results. Visit RCS to get more information about custom-made treatments!

FAQS:

Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery: What to Expect

General anaesthesia is used to make a child unconscious. The child does not feel pain and discomfort during the treatment. After the surgery, the baby can feel pain, but then pain can be managed.
It is a surgical procedure, and incisions are made during the surgery. The recovery might take 3 to 4 weeks. For 2 to 3 weeks, your child may have to wear arm splinters. Otherwise,  he/she could damage the treated area.
It is very rare. Normally, a single treatment is enough to get optimal results. Sometimes, it may reappear again. Further surgery would be required to address it.