Some handy Insight to the Surgical Options for Birth Defects

What is a Birth defect?

‘Birth defect’ is a wide term that encompasses different forms of conditions and physical anomalies recognizable at birth. The majority of these defects occur when the baby is growing during pregnancy. The defects can also give rise to mental and physical disabilities. Babies with birth defects always require surgery or targeted medical treatment.

What are Different Types of Birth Defects?

There are many types of birth defects. Know the most common birth defects. 

Cleft Lip and Palate

This is the most common type of birth defect that results in facial and oral malformations in an infant. Due to the insufficient amount of tissue in the lip or mouth area, tissues do not join together properly and forms a cleft or gap.

A Cleft lip is a separation of two sides of the upper lip and appears as a narrow opening or gap in the skin of the upper lip. The separation may extend beyond the base of the nose including the bones of the upper gum and upper jaw. Cleft palate is also referred to as a split in the roof of the mouth involving the hard and/or soft palate. Cleft is a most common birth defect. The only way to repair it is by surgery.

What are the problems caused by cleft lip and palate?

This cleft palate does not only hamper the beauty but also, makes it difficult for the child to eat and speak. It may lead to eating problems, ear infections, hearing loss, speech problems, and dental problems.

Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery in Chandigarh, India

Cleft lip and palate is a situation where a child is born with an opening in the roof of the mouth. Few babies are born with a split in one and few with both parts of the palates.  

The treatment of cleft lip and palate is done through Cleft lip and palate surgery. In some cases, the patient may require multiple surgeries depending upon the intensity of the problem. Most of the children who are affected by the abnormality are able to achieve the normal function of speech, appearance, and eating after the cleft lip and palate surgery.

The faculty at Tricity Institute of Plastic Surgery (TIPS) is actively associated with Smile Train, the leading charity organization providing cleft lip and palate surgery. Currently, they are actively participating in the state of Himachal Pradesh. And have brought back smile to quite a number of children who were unfortunately affected by it.

Defects of the Ears

Defects of the ear relate to the congenital deformities of ear consisting of unusual ear formation or an absent ear. The most common defects include constricted ear, macrotic ear, cryptotic ear, Stahl’s ear deformity, etc. Most of the time abnormal structure of the ears can interfere with the functionality as well as the appearance of the ears, leading to strange looks.

Ear defect surgery

If disfigured or extended ears are bothering your child, ear defect surgery can help improve the shape and proportion of the ears. The surgery can correct the defect in ear structure, occurred at the time of birth, or due to an injury/accident. This surgery also treats overly large ears, extended ears, and ears that do not have a regular shape. The procedure is individual-specific and is generally performed when a child is 5+ years of age. Because the cartilage needs to be more stable for correction.

At TIPS, find the top-ranking surgeons in Chandigarh. Their experience & education will perfectly handle your problem. 

Hypospadias Repair

Hypospadias Repair is a surgical procedure that is aimed to correct a birth defect in boys in which the urethra does not end up to the tip of the penis. Instead, the urethra ends on the bottom or opens in the middle or bottom of the penis, and sometimes behind the scrotal area.

At what age Hypospadias Repair can be done? 

Mostly, Hypospadias repair is done when boys are at the age of 6 months to 2 years. 

Hypospadias Repair – Operative & Post Operative

The procedure is usually done on boys of 6 months to 2 years. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis and may require an overnight stay in the surgical facility.

Surgery is performed under general anesthesia. One procedure is enough for the repair if the defects are mild. However for severe defects, one may need two or more procedures. A small piece of tissue is taken from the donor site to form a tube that can help to lengthen the urethra. It thus allows it to open at the tip of the penis. Usually, a catheter may be fastened in the urethra to hold it in the new place. The catheter usually gets removed after about 2 weeks of the surgery. Dissolvable stitches are generally used and that does not require any removal. There is another category of Cleft lip and palate defects. The detection of these at the time of birth requires timely consultation with a surgeon regarding the right time and prerequisites of surgery to treat the defects.

If you have been looking to seek more information on surgery for birth defects, TIPS can provide you with an apt choice. Because we have a team of surgeons who are dedicated to providing in-depth consultation and suitable treatment to the patient. If you are interested in knowing more about birth defects and treatment options, you should get in touch with TIPS right now. TIPS is the expert and is one of the best hospitals for plastic surgery in Chandigarh. Just fill in the contact form available online to seek a free consultation. Also, be assured of strict confidentiality at all times.