Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery (unilateral/bilateral/microform)

Preoperative Explanation：

Cleft lip surgery (cheiloplasty: unilateral or bilateral) is performed 3 month after birth (or weighs at least 10 pounds). If the tissue deficient is marked, second surgery is inevitable (revision of lip), at the age of 5 ~ 8. Cleft lip nose is also a problem and usually corrected at the time revision of lip is performed.The palatoplasty is performed around 1 to 1.5 year of age. If the cleft is wide and bilateral palatal tissue has deficiency, the palate will be closed in 2 stages to avoid maxillary under development (at around 5 years old).

Anesthesia：

Endotracked anesthesia

Operation Time：

Cheiloplasty needs 1 ~ 3 hours
Revision cheiloplasty may need 2 ~ 4 hours
Palatoplasty may need 1 ~ 3 hours
Generally 1 ~ 4 hours

Hospitalization：

This depends on several different factors, such as the medical comorbidities, the wound condition, the age of patient, the nutritional status and so on. Generally, it would take you from 5 days to about 2 weeks in the hospital.

Recovery Time：

Cheiloplasty: 10 ~ 14 days. For baby, it is better to avoid suction for 2 ~ 4 weeks.
Platoplasty: takes 4 weeks to resume usual diet (2 weeks liquid diets, 2 weeks soft material, then recover to take regular diet)

Risks/Complications/Side Effects：

Post operative hemorrhage, airway obstruction, infection of wound and wound disruption

Post Operative Care：
Avoid contact of finger with mouth; avoid solid diet for about 4 weeks. Stent elbows (for cheiloplasty) and wrap hands for 4 weeks

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Microtia

Preoperative Explanation：
Microtia is a kind of developmental anomaly at the first and second branchial arch. The total ear reconstruction is a staged procedure. Implantation of framework (cartilage from the lower costochondral portion) in the subcutaneous portion at the right place is important. Other stages of auricular reconstruction (rotation of ear lobule, tragus construction and detaching the porterior auricular region) will be much easier to be done. The average age for otoplasty is 6 years old.

Anesthesia：

The surgery will be done under endotracheal anesthesia.

Operation Time：

About 3 ~ 4 hours for 1st stage operation
About 1 ~ 2 hours for rotation of earlobe and elevation of reconstructed ear from mastoid (posterior) region.

Hospitalization：

For 1st stage operation is about a week.
For earlobe rotation is about 3 ~ 4 days.
For elevation of ear from mastoid region is one week

Recovery Time：

2 ~ 3 months

Risks/Complications/Side Effects：

Postoperative seroma and hematoma
Skin necrosis after cartilage implantation
Scar formation and contracture; disfigurement

Post Operative Care：

Protection of reconstructed ear (3 month)
Protect from contusion and hypertrophic scar