Protocol for outpatient management in cleft lip and palate repair

Abstract

Cleft lip is a common malformation in Chile. The standard care for cleft lip and palate repair is inpatient admission; this is mainly to observe complications and administer intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and analgesics. In our center, however, a strict selection of patients undergo ambulatory surgeries. In this paper, we illustrate our experience managing outpatient cleft lip and palate repair and show that it is possible to carry out a successful ambulatory surgery with few to no complications in children and adults with cleft lip and palate.