Cleft Palate Repair

Cleft Palate Surgery in Koramangala, Bangalore

A cleft palate is when a child is born with an opening in the roof of the mouth. It makes it difficult for the child to eat and speak as food goes up instead of going down the throat.

The doctors can repair this cleft with the help of surgery. The cleft palate surgery closes the opening in their mouth and helps the child gain easily understood speech.

What is Cleft Palate Repair?

Cleft palate is one of the more common problems found in babies. Doctors can resolve this with the help of cleft palate repair. The surgery takes two to six hours, and the baby is monitored at the hospital for at least a day.

The doctor will operate under general anesthesia. It means that the child is asleep when the operation takes place. The number of surgeries varies from case to case. In some cases, one surgery is enough, while in others, the child may need more than one for proper recovery.

What Can Cause a Cleft Palate?

Here are some things that can cause cleft palate in a child:

• Genes - either of the parents can pass genes that cause clefting
• The inability of the tissues to connect
• Smoking or drinking alcohol during pregnancy
• Taking certain medicines during pregnancy
• Exposure to chemicals during pregnancy
• Environmental factors

When to See a Doctor?

Children with a cleft palate can sometimes have other health issues as well:

• Ear infections, in which the child can develop middle ear fluids or have difficulties hearing
• The child's dental health, as it can cause problems in tooth development
• Speech difficulties, in which the child's voice sounds too nasal
• The child can face trouble while feeding, as the opening in their mouth can cause difficulty in sucking or swallowing

The cleft palate repair is usually better when the child is less than a year old. If your child is facing these symptoms, then you should seek help.

Request an appointment at Apollo Hospitals

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment

Possible Risk Factors for Cleft Palate Repair

Even though cleft palate surgery is usually effective, your child may face a few risk factors connected to it:

• Anesthesia risks
• Bleeding
• Irregular healing of the scars
• Infections
• Damage to the inner system - includes temporary or permanent damage to nerves or auditory system
• Fistulae - It is a hole in the repaired palate that can cause food and drinks to go up and leak through the nose and can also cause problems in speech
• Velopharyngeal dysfunction - The repaired palate fails to act as a wall to block air from the nose, and it causes problems in speaking

If you notice any of these signs in your child, consult your doctor to get proper treatment.

Treatment for Cleft Palate

In cleft palate repair, the anesthesiologist will give your child some medicine and put them in a deep sleep. It will ensure that your child does not feel any pain. After this, the surgeon will conduct the surgery.

After the surgery, there will be a 'Z' shaped incision inside your child's mouth. With time, the incision will heal, and your child will have no problems eating and speaking.

Some kids have to undergo only one cleft palate repair. But others may need to undergo more surgeries in the future. Your doctors may advise the following additional surgeries:

• Pharyngeal flap - When the child's voice is highly nasal, even after the surgery, the doctor will lengthen the soft palate, and it will decrease the nasal escape.
• Alveolar bone graft - The surgery supports the growth of permanent teeth and closes nasal or oral fistulas.
• Nose surgery - It can fix how the nose looks, and many children benefit from it. If extensive surgery is needed, it is done when the child grows up a bit.

Conclusion

Consulting a good surgeon is quite essential when going for cleft palate surgery. With the help of an experienced doctor, you can create a treatment plan that works the best for your child.

Cleft palate repair can look daunting, but the results will only be beneficial for your child. With proper care and precautions, your child will recover effectively.

References

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/reconstructive-procedures/cleft-lip-and-palate-repair/procedure

https://www.plasticsurgery.org/reconstructive-procedures/cleft-lip-and-palate-repair

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cleft-palate/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370990