When your baby reaches 10 lbs and is between 3 to 6 months of age, this surgery can be performed safely. This is the surgery where the lip and the nose are repaired directly. For some babies with narrow or incomplete clefts this may be their first surgery. Others will need molding therapy before cleft lip repair for wider, more complicated clefts.
At your postoperative follow up, you will be instructed on how to take care of the scar. The team will meet with you before the surgery and then you will have appointments at 1 week, 1 month and 3-6 months after surgery to check healing.
When your baby is around 1 year of age, and after the cleft lip has been repaired, the cleft palate can be closed surgically. Before this surgery, you can see the open space, however, all the structures that are needed to repair the cleft palate are already available within the mouth. The surgeon rotates the muscle and portions of the hard palate to improve the alignment and close the cleft. Most children are able to go home after 1-2 nights in the hospital. Some children may not be interested in drinking after this surgery and may need to stay longer so the team can make sure they are able to feed well before returning home.
After this surgery, please adhere to dietary restrictions provided by your team in order to assist with healing of the palate. No hard objects (fingers or toys) or crunchy foods (crackers, cookies, or baby puffs) in the mouth until approved by your team.
An ABG is performed in children with an alveolar cleft (cleft through the gum ridge and bone of the upper jaw). A small incision is made over one of the hip bones and some bone marrow is taken. The tissues of the alveolar cleft are then opened, the bone placed inside, and the incisions closed with dissolvable sutures.
After this surgery, please adhere to dietary restrictions provided by your team in order to assist with healing of the bone graft.
Orthognathic Surgery
This is also known as jaw surgery. It is performed in adolescents whose jaws do not line up correctly when the bite cannot be fixed with braces alone. The surgeon may move the upper jaw (LeFort 1), lower jaw (bilateral sagittal split-osteotomy or BSSO), or both. This surgery usually requires several nights in the hospital. There will be dietary and activity restrictions that your team will discuss with you prior to surgery.
Septorhinoplasty
This is often the final surgery for children with cleft lip and palate. From the outside, it helps improve the shape and symmetry of the nose. Inside the nose, it will correct the cartilage that divides the nostrils in two, if needed (deviated septum).
