Impact of breastfeeding and/or bottle-feeding on surgical wound dehiscence after cleft lip repair in infants: A systematic review

Do Orofacial Clefts Impair Breastfeeding and Increase the Prevalence of Anemia?

“…Neither breast nor bottle feeding negatively influenced the surgical wound, compared with other alternative feeding methods. Accordingly, restriction to breast and/or bottle feeding immediately after cheiloplasty is not indicated (Boyce et al, 2019;Matsunaka et al, 2019).…”

“…The surgical procedures to close the cleft demand good nutritional and health parameters. Matsunaka et al (2019) evaluated through a systematic review the impact of breast and/or bottle feeding on surgical wound dehiscence after cheiloplasty in babies. Neither breast nor bottle feeding negatively influenced the surgical wound, compared with other alternative feeding methods.…”

Current Resources for Evidence-Based Practice, May 2020

“…Recent Evidence-Based Reviews: Fertility, Contraception, and ART Cheiloplasty, or cleft lip repair surgery, most usually occurs around 3 months of age, well after feeding methods have been established (Matsunaka et al, 2019). During the postoperative period, parents are often advised to feed the infant with a spoon or cup out of fear that the suction required to breast-or bottle-feed would interfere with wound healing.…”

“…The combined sample size across all included studies was 342 infants. Overall, four wound dehiscence events were recorded: three in cup/spoon feeding groups (two were thought to be secondary to falls rather than feeding) and one for which the feeding group was not noted, but the authors in the original study claimed that the dehiscence was unrelated to feeding method (Matsunaka et al, 2019). In two of the included studies, secondary outcomes related to weight gain were reported.…”

“…It is easy to imagine a scenario in which cheiloplasty followed by surgeonrecommended spoon or cup feeding leads to early weaning, particularly in settings in which women do not have access to high-quality breast pumps. The literature summarized by Matsunaka et al (2019) does not allow us to draw definitive conclusions about preferred feeding method following cleft lip repair, at least in terms of wound healing. However, this also means that cup or spoon feeding has not been shown to be beneficial.…”