Cleft Lip & Palate Repair

Correcting Congenital Birth Anomalies

Corrects congenital birth anomalies to enable proper breathing, eating, speaking, and improve facial appearance.

Recovery: 2–4 weeks per procedure

5 Key Benefits

Cleft lip and palate are among the most common birth defects, affecting approximately 1 in 700 babies worldwide. These conditions affect the child's ability to eat, breathe, and speak properly. Early surgical intervention by an experienced surgeon like Dr. Manandhar can dramatically improve outcomes and quality of life.

Key Benefits

Enables normal feeding and swallowing

Supports healthy speech development

Improves breathing through the nose

Natural-looking facial appearance

Staged treatment plan aligned with growth

About the Procedure

Cleft lip and palate repairs are typically performed in stages as the child grows. The timing and sequence of surgeries are carefully planned to optimise both functional and cosmetic outcomes while minimising impact on facial growth.

Cleft Lip Repair

Performed typically at 3–6 months of age, cleft lip repair rejoins the separated lip muscles and skin using precise techniques to create a natural lip shape with minimal scarring. The Millard or Tennison-Randall technique may be used depending on the cleft type.

Cleft Palate Repair

Usually performed at 9–18 months of age, palate repair closes the gap in the roof of the mouth, enabling normal speech development and preventing food from entering the nasal cavity. The Furlow palatoplasty technique is often preferred for its superior speech outcomes.

Secondary Procedures

As the child grows, additional procedures may address residual nasal deformity, alveolar bone grafting for dental alignment, or lip/nose refinement.

Am I a Candidate?

Infants born with cleft lip and/or palate are candidates for repair. The timing of surgery is carefully planned by Dr. Manandhar in coordination with a multidisciplinary team including paediatricians, speech therapists, and orthodontists.