Day case cleft lip surgery in Lagos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND

The correction of cleft lip deformity has included overnight admission and postoperative ward admission from 5 to 7 days. In developing countries, increasing cost of treatment and medical insurance and shortage of bed space have led to a reduction in the length of hospitalization or its elimination for some cases of surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility and complications associated with day case cleft lip surgery in our center.

METHODS

A prospective study of patients undergoing day case cleft lip repair at three hospitals from 1995 to 2005.

RESULTS

A total of 43 patients were seen. Twenty seven (63.8%) were treated as day case, and 16 (37.2%) were operated as inpatients. The mean age for patients treated as day case was 1.32 +/- 1.45 years. Fifteen (55.6%) of these patients had severe associated nasal deformities, six (22.2%) had moderate nasal deformity, and four (14.83%) had mild nasal deformity. The only complication was a nasovestibular fistula that occurred in one of the day case patients. From 27 patients operated on as day cases, eight calls were received. Two (7.4%) mothers called to report febrile illness in their children on the first postoperative day. Two mothers (7.4%) reported excessive crying. The most frequent reason for postoperative consultation was obstruction of the modified nasal retainer, which occurred in four patients (14.8%).

CONCLUSION

Day case surgery for cleft lip can be said to be safe, with a 2.3% rate of complications in selected patients. Day case surgery was a cheaper alternative to admission.