Rethinking Surgical Tools - Infant Frenotomy & Pain

• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits: 1 CERP, 1 R-CERP
• Learning Format: Live Webinar
• Handout: Yes
• Origin: GOLD Learning

Abstract:

Ankyloglossia (tongue tie) impacts and can impair normal oral function in infants leading to a myriad of complications with breastfeeding. Increased awareness of this impact has led to increased diagnosis and treatment of tongue tie through frenotomy/frenectomy. These procedures are typically completed using one of two tools: scissors or laser and sometimes cautery. While the methods are equally effective when completed by a competent practitioner, the blood coagulation of the surgical incision made by a laser is cited as an major advantage in laser surgeries along with great advantage of visibility at the surgical site by the surgeon. Therefore laser release is widely perceived as superior to scissors in the recent development in LASER FRENECTOMIES.

There has been very little research that has been published on the post-procedural effects of surgical tool used. In her practice, the author has noted significant and consistent patterns in post-procedure pain, correlating to which tool is used for the release. This presentation attempts to highlight that it is critical we study the scale of pain experienced by infants post frenotomy in correlation to tool of surgery since Pain affects babies' nervous systems potentially changing the structure and physiology of the nervous system and be a cause of problems with sleep, feeding, and self-regulation. The Author will review specific data measurements that demonstrate these patterns, and present a theory for potential reasons of prefering one tool over the other for low risk Infant Frenotomies.

Learning Objectives: