The following is some general information to help prepare you and your child for the first lip or palate surgery and hospitalization. The surgeon's office will contact you about the date of surgery.
Surgery Day
You will visit with your child’s Anesthesiologist (sleep doctor), Surgeon and surgical nurse before surgery. You will be able to stay with your child until they are taken back to the Operating room. After surgery, your child will go to the Recovery Room for about an hour. If possible, you may be allowed to visit your child in the Recovery Room or accompany them to their hospital room.
What happens after surgery?
The goal after surgery is to protect the new repair and stitches. For this reason, there will be some changes in your child’s feeding, positioning, and activity for a few weeks. Remember, these are only temporary!
Feeding
Infants will either use a soft sippy bottle or their regular bottle after surgery depending on the surgeon's orders. Older children may drink from a cup. It is helpful if you and your child have practiced using the sippy bottle or drinking from a cup before surgery. The first feeding after surgery is usually clear liquids (Pedialyte, sugar water, apple juice ). When this is tolerated, they may resume their regular formula. Infants who have already begun cereal or baby food may be offered diluted feedings. Older children will be on a blenderized diet that pours easily from a cup.
Your child may be fussy or have some discomfort when swallowing, so they may not drink much the first evening. This is why IV fluids are continued until their drinking improves. Pain medicine will also be given to make them more comfortable.
Positioning
A child who has had a cleft lip repair should be positioned on their side or back to keep them from rubbing their face in the bed. A child with a cleft palate repair may sleep on their stomach.
Activity
It will be very important to keep your child from hurting the stitches or putting hands or toys in their mouth. For this reason, they will wear arm splints which keep them from bending their elbows. These are used for about 2 weeks after surgery.
After lip repair there may be some tape on your child’s lip covering the stitches - these usually remain on until the stitches are removed. If the stitches need to be cleaned, you will be shown how to do that before leaving the hospital. The stitches will be removed 5-7 days after surgery as a short day surgery procedure. Sometimes absorbable stitches are used and these do not need to be removed.
After palate repair your child may have a long stitch from the tongue that is taped to the outside of the cheek. This is so the tongue can be moved in case of swelling. It is usually removed the morning after surgery.
How long will my child be in the hospital?
You can expect your child to spend 1-2 nights in the hospital, depending on how soon they begin to drink an adequate amount of fluids. Parents are encouraged to stay with their child and participate in their care. Chair beds are available in the rooms for overnight sleeping.