Neonates presenting with severe complications of frenotomy: a case series

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Tongue-tie or ankyloglossia is an anatomic variation in which the lingual frenulum is thick, short or tight. It may be asymptomatic, or present with complications like breast feeding difficulties or speech, dental and cosmetic problems. The treatment of this condition, where indicated, is frenotomy. This procedure usually has few or no complications. However, when it is done by untrained personnel, it may lead to life-threatening complications. This paper highlights complications that could arise from improper treatment of ankyloglossia.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>Case 1 was a one-day-old male neonate, a Nigerian of Igbo ethnicity, who was admitted with bleeding from the mouth and passage of dark stools after clipping of the frenulum by a traditional birth attendant. He was severely pale and in hypovolemic shock, with a severed frenulum which was bleeding actively. His packed cell volume was 15%. He was resuscitated with intravenous fluids and a blood transfusion. The bleeding was controlled using an adrenaline pack. He also received antibiotics. He was discharged five days later.</p> <p>Case 2 was a three-day-old male neonate, a Nigerian of Ikwerre ethnicity, who was admitted with profuse bleeding from a soft tissue injury under the tongue, after clipping of the frenulum by a community health worker. He was severely pale and lethargic. He was resuscitated with intravenous fluids and a blood transfusion. The bleeding vessel was ligated with repair of the soft tissue. He also received antibiotics and was discharged home one week later.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Treatment of tongue-tie, a benign condition, when done by untrained personnel may result in life-threatening complications. Clinicians should pay more attention to parents' worries about this condition and give adequate counseling or refer them to trained personnel for surgical intervention where clinically indicated.</p

Prevalência de alteração no frênulo lingual e suas implicações na fala de escolares Prevalence of change in frenulun lingual and its implications in speech of school children

OBJETIVOS: verificar a prevalência do frênulo lingual alterado e suas implicações na fala de escolares. MÉTODOS: foram avaliados por três fonoaudiólogas os frênulos de língua de 260 crianças com idades variando entre 6 e 12 anos. Os frênulos foram classificados por meio de inspeção visual, medidas empregando-se paquímetro e avaliação da tensão, mobilidade e posicionamento da língua. Foram consideradas crianças com alteração de frênulo aquelas que apresentaram alteração em todas etapas da avaliação. Nos casos de classificação de frênulo alterado, a fala foi avaliada. RESULTADOS: os dados encontrados revelaram que das 260 crianças avaliadas 47 (18%), apresentaram alteração de frênulo, sendo 28 (60%), classificados como curtos; 12 (25%) como anteriorizados e 7 (15%) como curtos e anteriorizados. Não houve diferença entre os sexos. Dos indivíduos com frênulo alterado, 34 (72 %) apresentaram alteração de fala. A prevalência de alteração na fala foi maior no frênulo curto e anteriorizado (85%), seguido pelo curto (75%) e pelo anteriorizado (58%). As implicações de fala mais encontradas foram distorção e articulação trancada. CONCLUSÃO: foi verificada uma prevalência de 18% de alteração no frênulo lingual dentre os escolares avaliados, sem diferença entre os sexos. O frênulo curto predomina sobre os demais tipos, porém o curto e anteriorizado apresenta maiores implicações na fala. As características de fala mais comuns nestes casos são distorção e articulação trancada.<br>PURPOSE: to check the prevalence of altered tongue frenum and its implications on the scholar's speech. METHODS: tongue frenum of 260 children between 6 and 12 years old was evaluated by three speech therapists using visual inspection and caliper measurements. The children that showed changes in all stages of the evaluation were those considered to be with frenum alteration. The speech was evaluated in those children with altered tongue frenum. RESULTS: the found data revealed that from the 260 children, 47 (18%) had altered tongue frenum, being 28 (60%) classified as short, 12 (25%) as anterior and 7 (15%) as short and anterior. There weren't differences between sexes. Modifications on speech were seen in 34 children (72%) of those that had altered tongue frenum. The prevalence of speech alteration was higher in short and anterior frenum (85%) followed by short (75%) and anterior (58%). The most founded common speech implications were distortion and locked articulation. CONCLUSION: a prevalence of 18% in altered tongue frenum was verified among the evaluated scholars, with no differences between genders. The short frenum is the predominant type, although the short and anterior ones are more related to altered speech. The most common speech characteristics in these cases are distortion and locked articulation

Increased rates of ENT surgery among young children: Have clinical guidelines made a difference?

Objectives: To examine the association between introduction of paediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery guidelines and population procedure rates. To determine changes in children's risk of undergoing ENT surgery. Methods: Trend analysis of incidence of myringotomy, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy among New South Wales (NSW) children aged 0-14 between 1981 and mid 1999. Poisson regression models were used to estimate annual rates of change pre and postguidelines introduction and age/gender specific rates, and lifetable methods to determine risk of undergoing an ENT procedure by age 15. Results: ENT surgery rates increased by 21% over the study period. Children's risk of surgery increased from 17.9% in 1981 to 20.2% in 1998/99. Guideline introduction was associated with moderate short-term decreases in rates. For tonsillectomy, rates decreased between 1981 and 1983, but then rose continually until the introduction of myringotomy guidelines in 1993, when they fell, only to recommence rising until the end of the study period. For myringotomy, rates rose annually from 1981 to 1992/93 and fell in the 3 years following guideline introduction, after which they rose again. Increases were almost exclusively restricted to children aged 0-4 and correspond with increased use of formal childcare. The prevalence of myringotomy by the age of 5 years rose from 5.6% of children born in 1988/89 to 6.4% of those born in 1994/95, and the prevalence of tonsillectomy from 2.4% to 2.7%. Conclusions: The risk of young Australian children undergoing ENT surgery increased significantly over the last two decades despite the introduction of guidelines and no evidence of an increase in otitis media, one condition prompting surgery. Surgery increased most among the very young. We hypothesize this is related to increasing use of childcare