Effect of unrestricted bottle-feeding on early postoperative course after cleft palate repair

Although bottle-feeding after cheiloplasty is widely accepted, postoperative feeding regimen after palatoplasty is still controversial. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to evaluate the effect of bottle-feeding on early postoperative course after palatoplasty in a relatively homogeneous group of patients. Eighty-two consecutive patients with nonsyndromic cleft palate undergoing 2-flap palatoplasty by a single surgeon were randomized to feeding from a bottle with the usual nipple (G1, N = 42) or to feeding with a spoon, cup, or syringe (G2, N = 40). Complication rates, postoperative sedative use, oral intake for the first 6 days, and relative weight gain at 1 and 2 months were compared. There were no significant complications such as bleeding or respiratory problem. The overall complication rate including wound dehiscence and oronasal fistula was similar in G1 and G2 (11.9% versus 12.5%, P = 1.000) as was postoperative sedative use and mean daily oral intake for the first 5 days. Mean intake on the sixth day was significantly higher in G1. There were no significant between-group differences in relative weight gain after 1 and 2 months. In conclusion, bottle-feeding had no adverse effect on the early postoperative course after palatoplasty including complication rate, oral intake, and weight gain. These findings suggest that an unrestricted feeding regimen is appropriate immediately after palatoplasty.