Surgery and comprehensive treatment for children with cleft lip and palate

Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Hospital (Hanoi) said that after more than 35 years of cooperation with Operation Smile, by July 2025, the hospital's doctors had performed over 18,000 humanitarian surgeries for cleft lip, palate and other facial deformities for children across the country.

On average, each year the hospital conducts 5-6 screening and humanitarian surgery programs for children with these deformities.

Since November 2024, the Comprehensive Treatment Unit for Cleft Lip and Palate of the Hospital has officially been in operation; to date, it has received and comprehensively examined more than 250 pediatric patients; organized 127 speech therapy sessions for children with pronunciation difficulties; performed nearly 40 orthodontic and dental restoration treatments...

Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Hospital performs cleft lip and palate surgery and post-operative treatment

PHOTO: THUY ANH

According to the Vietnam - Cuba Friendship Hospital, children with cleft lip and palate need long-term comprehensive intervention. After surgery, patients continue to receive speech therapy, orthodontics, bone correction, and cosmetic surgery when they grow up. In Vietnam, every year, about 3,000 children are born with cleft lip and palate. This defect can cause disorders such as difficulty eating, difficulty sucking, choking, susceptibility to respiratory diseases, pronunciation disorders, and psychological disorders. Children who receive late treatment will have their aesthetics and pronunciation affected.

In cases of cleft lip and palate, at the latest 1 month after birth, parents need to take their child to a medical facility for examination and treatment before surgery, to temporarily close the cleft, creating conditions for better surgery later. At the same time, family members are also advised to help the child breastfeed and eat to reduce choking. Usually, surgery can be performed when the child is 3 months old. After that, the child will be treated for speech defects and receive speech therapy.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phau-thuat-dieu-tri-toan-dien-cho-tre-di-tat-khe-ho-moi-vom-mieng-185250721203741471.htm