Before Surgery:
Your child will be admitted through the Same Day Surgery department of the hospital. A nurse will call you on the weekday before the surgery to tell you when to arrive and when to stop giving your child food and liquids. Your child will be weighed and measured by the nurses in the Same Day Surgery department. You will be able to talk to the surgeon and the anesthesiologist before the surgery.
When it is time for your child to go into the Operating Room, you will be shown to the surgery waiting room. At least one parent needs to remain in the waiting room at all times while your child is in the Operating Room. Your child will be given a general anesthetic and an IV will be started after he is asleep. After surgery, the surgeon will come and talk to you. Your child will go the Recovery Room for approximately one hour. You will be allowed to see your child after the Recovery Room stay.
If your child has had multiple ear infections or hearing loss associated with fluid behind his eardrum, he may need ear tubes placed. This procedure can be coordinated with the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor at the same time as the cleft palate repair.
After Surgery:
Cleft palate repair typically requires a one or two night hospital stay. You are encouraged to stay and participate in your child’s care. Most children are a little fussy, but calm well in the loving arms of someone they are used to. If you live out of town and need housing the night before surgery or during your child’s hospital stay, the Ronald McDonald House may be available. Referrals are required in advance, so please let us know if you need them.
After surgery, your child will receive IV fluids and IV pain medication as needed. A rubber tube may be present in one nostril for the first 6-12 hours after surgery to serve as an airway if swelling develops in the back of the throat. Elbow splints will be used for several weeks to prevent your child from putting his hands into his mouth. His diet will be restricted to fluids he can drink from a spoutless cup or take from a syringe with a soft rubber tip. A soft diet given through the syringe can be given after the first week. The soft diet is used for two weeks and then a spoon can be used. Bottle nipples, pacifiers, straws, and spouted cups cannot be used for 3 weeks. Once your child is taking fluids well and is taking pain medication by mouth he will be ready to go home. You will be given pain medication to give your child at home. A follow up appointment in clinic will be scheduled within two weeks after surgery.
General information
Your child will have a pre-operative appointment in the Plastic Surgery Clinic 2-4 weeks before the surgery. You will be given additional information and teaching at that appointment. If your child has other medical conditions, he may need to see the Anesthesiology staff during the pre-operative visit.
It is required that a child scheduled for surgery have at least one parent or legal guardian with him at both the pre-operative appointment and on the day of surgery.
Please call if your child becomes ill with a fever, vomiting, or upper respiratory infection before the surgery. The surgery may need to be rescheduled. Call if your child has been exposed to any communicable diseases, such as chicken pox, measles, or mumps up to 21 days before the day of surgery, please let us know. We may need to reschedule surgery.
Your child’s Pre-Operative appointment is on:____________________ at_______________ at the _______________________facility.
If you need to reschedule your appointment, please call the Children’s Mercy Hospital Plastic Surgery Clinic at (816) 234-3020 or call the Children’s Mercy South Surgery Clinic at (913) 696-8220 to reschedule.
The Cleft Palate Surgery date is: _________________ at the __________________ facility.
Dr. __________________________ is the surgeon.
You may reach the Plastic Surgeon or the Plastic Surgery Nurse practitioner by calling:
(816) 234-1625 during the day Monday-Friday, or
(816) 234-3000 after hours and on the weekend.
Cleft Lip/Palate Clinic: (816) 234-3677
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CMH-99-120
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Content Expires on 12/31/2011
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Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics
Kansas City,Missouri Overland Park,Kansas
Care cards are provided as a public education service. The information does not replace instructions your physician gives you. If you have questions about your child's care, please call your physician.
Estas instruccions son provistas como un servicio educacional. La information no sustituye las instrucciones de su medico. Si tiene preguntas encuanto al duidado de su niño, por favor llame a su medico.