Understanding Cleft Lip and Palate

Cleft lip and cleft palate are congenital conditions in which parts of the upper lip gum or roof of the mouth do not join completely during early development before birth This leads to an opening in the lip the palate or both Children with clefts may have difficulty feeding recurrent ear infections speech issues and dental problems if not treated in a structured manner

Goals of Cleft Repair

Surgery aims to restore normal lip function and appearance separate the mouth and nose for effective feeding and speech and support normal facial growth Lip repair focuses on joining muscle and skin segments to create a continuous symmetrical upper lip and cupid bow Palate repair reconstructs the roof of the mouth so that food and liquid do not escape through the nose and so that speech sounds can be produced correctly

Timing and Multidisciplinary Care

Cleft care usually follows a planned timeline with lip repair typically done in early infancy and palate repair later in the first year of life or early in the second Further procedures to refine lip and nose symmetry correct dental arch problems or address speech issues may be considered as the child grows A multidisciplinary team that includes plastic surgery paediatrics speech therapy audiology dentistry and psychology is ideal for long term care

Surgical Techniques

Lip repair involves careful alignment of skin muscle and mucosa to restore the natural landmarks of the lip and often includes primary correction of nasal asymmetry Palate repair repositions muscles of the soft palate and closes both soft and hard palatal defects to create a functional velopharyngeal mechanism for speech Later procedures may include bone grafting to the gum line orthodontics jaw surgery or rhinoplasty to optimise dental and facial balance

Why Choose Livasa Hospital for Cleft Surgery

Livasa Hospital offers cleft management within a multi speciality setting enabling coordinated planning between plastic surgeons paediatricians and allied health professionals Structured follow up supports feeding speech development and psychosocial wellbeing providing families across Punjab with comprehensive support from infancy through adolescence

NAP Contact Details Amritsar Unit

Livasa Hospital Amritsar
Airport Road Amritsar Punjab 143001