PEDIATRICS Vol. 24 No. 4 October 1959, pp. 684-685
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by FOMON, S.
Right arrow Articles by SYRACUSE, V. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by FOMON, S.
Right arrow Articles by SYRACUSE, V. R.

Undesirability of Definitive Surgical Repair of Cleft Lip in Infancy

SAMUEL FOMON M.D., JULIUS W. BELL M.D., JOSEPH LUBART M.D., ALFRED SCHATTNER M.D., and VICTOR R. SYRACUSE M.D.

Pediatricians and surgeons generally recommend repair of cleft lip as soon as the infant's condition permits. In his recently published textbook of pediatric surgery, Swenson states: "Early repair is now universally advocated, with some difference as to actual age selected for operation. Repair 10-14 days after birth when feeding schedule has been established and a search for obscure anomalies has been completed is preferred." MacCollum et al. suggest that the lip be repaired "when the baby is 2.7 kg (6 lb) in weight or over, exhibits a steady gain in weight, is in good health and is 4 to 6 weeks of age." Thoroughgood and Fischer have recommended repair of unilateral cleft lip at the age of 12 hours.