Cleft lip and palate repair is reconstructive surgery that closes a congenital gap in the upper lip, palate or both, usually in infancy. Its goal is to improve feeding, speech and hearing and rebuild the shape of the lip and nose, as part of a staged plan led by a multidisciplinary team.
The lip is usually repaired between three and six months of age: the surgeon realigns the skin and lip muscle, closes the cleft in layers and improves the nostril shape. The palate is typically repaired between nine and eighteen months by closing the gap and repositioning the soft-palate muscles to support speech. Both are done under general anaesthesia.
Lip repair takes about one to two hours and palate repair two to three, with one to three days of observation afterwards. The lip wound heals in about two weeks, and a soft diet is followed for about three weeks after palate repair. The final appearance is judged once growth is complete in the teenage years.
The final cost is set after a medical consultant reviews your case and photos.
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It improves the child's ability to feed and eat, supports normal speech development and reduces the repeated ear infections linked to cleft palate. It also rebuilds the shape of the lip and nose, which supports self-confidence as the child grows.
The lip is usually repaired between three and six months of age, and the palate between nine and eighteen months, before the child starts talking. Older children and adults who were never treated can also be operated on.
The child is checked to make sure weight and growth are adequate and that there is no cold or fever, and blood tests may be done. Parents are given instructions on fasting before anaesthesia and on feeding after surgery.
For the lip, the skin, muscle and lining are realigned and closed in layers while the nose shape is improved. For the palate, the gap is closed and the soft-palate muscles are moved into their correct position, all under general anaesthesia.
After lip repair the child receives painkillers and usually feeds again soon, while the wound is kept clean and protected from rubbing. After palate repair a liquid or soft diet is followed for about three weeks, and hard objects must be kept out of the mouth.
The lip looks better straight after surgery and improves further as the scar matures over about a year, while speech develops gradually with speech therapy. The repair is permanent, but the final appearance is assessed once growth is complete in adolescence.
Risks include those of anaesthesia, bleeding, infection, wound opening, a fistula (small hole) in the palate and, in some children, air escaping through the nose during speech, which may need further treatment.
A thin scar remains, usually following the natural line between the lip and nose, and fades gradually over several months. Palate repair is done inside the mouth and leaves no visible scar.
Staying about seven days after lip repair and about ten to fourteen days after palate repair is usually advised, so the wound can be checked and the child is feeding well.
Most children need long-term follow-up with a multidisciplinary team covering speech, hearing and teeth until adolescence. Further corrective surgery may be needed depending on the type of cleft and the child's growth.
