Safe and effective technique in newborn tongue-tie: Frenotomy

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to present the surgical technique and results of the the technique we used in patients diagnosed with tongue-tie in newborn period. Method: Between 2015 and 2019, the records of infants who underwent frenotomy in the Koç University Hospital Pediatric Surgery Clinic during the newborn period due to tongue-tie were examined retrospectively. The infants were evaluated in terms of clinical presentation, surgical indication technique, and outcomes. Results: During the four-year period, a total of 41 babies had undergone frenotomy for tongue-tie. The presenting complaints in decreasing frequency were the inability to take out tongue, difficulty in sucking the mother's breast, need for bottle-feeding, inability to maintain breastfeeding, need to support the baby's head from behind during the breastfeeding and having nipple pain. During the follow-up period, bleeding, hematoma, or infection was not observed in patients. None of the patients required re-intervention during follow-up. In 41 patients, there was a significant improvement in the sucking problem. In addition, nipple pain of 9 out of 11 mothers during breastfeeding resolved. Conclusion: Tongue-tie problem can be resolved in a safe, successful and easy way with the use of the frenotomy technique in infants with tongue-tie detected during physical examination who can not be breastfed even though they can be bottle-fed.