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Published on: September 19, 2015
Neonatal cleft lip and cleft palate repair
Debra J Sandberg1, William P Magee, Michael J Denk
1Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, Va., USA.
Insights
Facial clefting repair can now be performed on neonates, thanks to advances in pediatric anesthesia and neonatology. This allows for earlier surgical intervention, improving outcomes for infants with cleft lip and palate.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Neonatology
- Craniofacial Anomalies
Background:
- Facial clefting, including cleft lip and palate, is a common birth defect impacting families.
- Traditional cleft repair criteria (10 weeks, 10 pounds, 10g/dL hemoglobin) excluded neonates, potentially hindering bonding and development.
- Delayed repair could lead to challenges in parent-infant bonding and infant growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the anatomy and embryology of facial clefts.
- To highlight the feasibility of neonatal cleft repair.
- To inform about advancements enabling early surgical intervention.
Main Methods:
- Review of advancements in neonatology and pediatric anesthesia.
- Discussion of anatomical and embryological aspects of cleft deformities.
- Analysis of the implications of neonatal surgical repair.
Main Results:
- Modern medical advancements permit cleft repair surgery during the neonatal period.
- Neonatal surgery bypasses traditional age and weight restrictions.
- Early intervention is now a viable option for infants with cleft lip and palate.
Conclusions:
- Advances in neonatology and pediatric anesthesia enable earlier cleft lip and palate repair.
- Neonatal cleft surgery can mitigate issues associated with delayed treatment.
- This approach supports improved infant development and parent-infant bonding.
Abstract:
Facial clefting is one of the most common birth defects and having a child born with this defect can be a devastating experience for parents and family members. Until recently, repair of cleft lip and palate deformities was deferred until the infant had reached 10 weeks of age, 10 pounds in weight, and a hemoglobin level of 10 gm per 100 mL. This criteria eliminated neonates 28 days of age or younger from the possibility of early repair. Waiting until these criteria were achieved often caused problems with parent-infant bonding and infant growth and development. Advances in neonatology and pediatric anesthesia now have made it possible to perform cleft surgery during the neonatal period. This article discusses the anatomy and embryology of cleft deformities and how cleft repair surgery now can be performed on the neonate.
