Is Cleft Lip Repair a Major Surgery?

Posted on 4/24/2023 by Olivia Ortega

An opening in the mouth roof in a newborn is known as a cleft palate. The two parts of the roof or palate of the mouth are the soft and demanding palates, generally at the front and back of the mouth, respectively. The bony part attached to the skull is known as the hard palate, while the soft palate is the muscles and tissues or the skin extending at the end of the hard palate behind the throat. Most babies are born with one split or both areas of the palates. Children born with such palates require surgery that helps fix both their facial growth and speech development.

Cleft Lip Repair Surgery

During the surgery, a team of experts will work together. An anesthesiologist walks into the theatre to give the patient medicine to help them fall asleep. A mist in a mask is what the patient will breathe in so that they can fall asleep. An IV is then inserted in a patient's vein to pass solid pain medicines. The anesthesiologist remains in the operating room the entire time so that the patient remains asleep and feels no pain. Hence, repairing of cleft lip is major surgery. This is a more complicated surgery than any other surgery done in the facial area. However, the deformity severity differs, which means the surgical procedure varies.

Expectations After Surgery

Most patients, especially children, feel irritability and mild pain after the surgery. Bruising, swelling, and blood around the stitch areas are expected. Stitches are then removed or dissolved after one week or five days. An intravenous catheter is used to feed patients until they drink sufficiently. Patients are given some antibiotics and pain meds to take home with them. Do not worry about the scars left after the surgery because, with time, they will slowly fade away.

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The surgical specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery requires up to six additional years of hospital based surgical and anesthesia training beyond dental school.

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Pacific Oral and Facial Surgery Center, 1133 E Stanley Blvd #215, Livermore, CA 94550 - 925-290-7727 - pacificofs.com - 10/15/2024 - Related Phrases: oral surgeon Livermore -