Early weight gain in infants with Robin sequence after mandibular distraction

Area of Science:

• Pediatric surgery
• Craniofacial anomalies
• Growth and development

Background:

• Robin sequence (RS) is a congenital condition characterized by mandibular hypoplasia.
• Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) is a surgical procedure used to correct severe micrognathia in RS.
• Assessing post-operative growth is crucial for managing infants with RS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the weight gain patterns in infants with RS following MDO.
• To compare infant weight gain to established growth curves.
• To identify factors influencing weight gain in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study design.
• Analysis of average daily weight gain in four distinct post-operative periods.
• Comparison with published growth curves using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test.

Main Results:

• Infants showed significantly lower weight gain from birth to MDO (T1).
• Post-MDO, infants exhibited significantly higher weight gain from the procedure through 12 months (T2, T3, T4).
• Feeding tube use correlated with improved T1 weight gain but poorer T3 and T4 weight gain.

Conclusions:

• MDO is associated with an initial deficit in weight gain, followed by catch-up growth.
• Weight gain trajectories normalize and exceed expectations after MDO in infants with RS.
• Feeding tube management requires careful consideration in the context of MDO outcomes.