Cleft Lip Repair

Cleft lip repair is generally performed from the 3rd month after birth onwards. If the baby is receiving orthodontic treatment, the completion of treatment (narrowing of the cleft, proper alignment of the gums, correction of the nasal shape, etc.) is awaited. In addition, blood values (white cell count <10,000, haemoglobin >10) and the baby's weight need to reach a certain level (>4500 g).

Cleft lip repair should be performed in a hospital with an anaesthesia team experienced with infant patients. The operation takes about one and a half hours under general anaesthesia, and there is a one-day hospital stay. The operation does not only aim to bring the skin edges together. Muscle repair is also performed during the procedure. In this way, normal movement of the lips is achieved. It also aims to preserve the aesthetic lines as far as possible, repair the gums and correct the shape of the nose. Care is taken to repair properly the vermilion line, which is the junction of the red skin at the edge of the lip and the normal skin, to place the stitches along the lines, and to eliminate differences of shortness or length in the lip. If there is a nasal deformity together with the cleft lip, it is also repaired in the same session.

After the operation, the baby may be restless for a few days. Oral painkiller syrups will be sufficient to relieve the pain. For the first few days, a closed dressing with sterile strips is applied, and dressings are done with antibiotic skin ointments. The stitches are removed after about 7 days. The stitches used inside the mouth will dissolve and fall out by themselves. A feeding chart and regimen with recommendations on feeding are given for the baby's first few weeks. In the first 3 months, as a normal result of wound healing, the suture line may look more prominent and red than the surrounding tissues, but over time it fades and returns to normal skin colour. Because of the shadowing in the nose and lip region, the scar will become less noticeable over time. For even better healing of the scars, massage over the scars with medical gels containing silicone is recommended for 3-6 months after surgery.