Day case cleft lip surgery in Lagos, Nigeria

The correction of cleft lip deformity has included overnight admission and postoperative ward admission from 5 to 7 days. In developing countries, increasing cost of treatment and medical insurance and shortage of bed space have led to a reduction in the length of hospitalization or its elimination for some cases of surgery.

To assess the feasibility and complications associated with day case cleft lip surgery in our center.

A prospective study of patients undergoing day case cleft lip repair at three hospitals from 1995 to 2005.

A total of 43 patients were seen. Twenty seven (63.8%) were treated as day case, and 16 (37.2%) were operated as inpatients. The mean age for patients treated as day case was 1.32 +/- 1.45 years. Fifteen (55.6%) of these patients had severe associated nasal deformities, six (22.2%) had moderate nasal deformity, and four (14.83%) had mild nasal deformity. The only complication was a nasovestibular fistula that occurred in one of the day case patients. From 27 patients operated on as day cases, eight calls were received. Two (7.4%) mothers called to report febrile illness in their children on the first postoperative day. Two mothers (7.4%) reported excessive crying. The most frequent reason for postoperative consultation was obstruction of the modified nasal retainer, which occurred in four patients (14.8%).

Day case surgery for cleft lip can be said to be safe, with a 2.3% rate of complications in selected patients. Day case surgery was a cheaper alternative to admission.