Tongue Tie Surgery in India

Imagine that you’re struggling with speaking and eating comfortably due to tongue tie, which is a condition where a tight band of tissue restricts tongue movement.

A tongue tie is a birth condition that makes the tongue less flexible. This tie is a short, thick, or tight piece of tissue and it can make breastfeeding difficult.

People with a tongue tie struggle to stick out their tongues. It also affects eating, speaking, and swallowing.

To get more information about tongue tie surgery and its procedures you need to read this article till the end.

Why Tongue Tie Surgery is Performed?

Healthcare providers often recommend tongue-tie surgery soon after diagnosis because they believe it helps with breastfeeding difficulties.

A tongue-tie can cause latching problems, painful nursing, and low milk intake, but in severe cases, it can lead to weight loss and dehydration as well. Prompt surgery aims to prevent these issues and promote a strong mother-baby bond.

How is the Tongue Tie Surgery Done?

• Tongue-tie surgery isn't the same for every baby. There are various types of surgeries. The frenulum, which is cut during surgery, has few nerves and blood vessels. This means less pain and bleeding.
• Your healthcare team will help you choose the best surgery for your baby.

Frenotomy

• Doctors traditionally use a small scalpel to cut the frenulum, freeing the tongue.
• In most cases, babies don't need anesthesia, and they can feed immediately after the surgery. Healing takes a few days.

Tongue-tie laser surgery

• Laser surgery for tongue-tie is similar to a frenotomy except that a laser is used instead of a scalpel or knife.
• Using a laser can help make tinier snips or cuts, which help the area bleed less, and have a faster healing time.

Tongue-tie electrocautery

• Electrocautery surgery uses electricity to heat and cut. It's like frenotomy but with electricity instead of a scalpel. This method can reduce bleeding and speed up healing time.

Frenuloplasty

• This surgery is for severe tongue-tie cases which involves cutting and reattaching the frenulum with sutures.
• The baby must be under anesthesia because the surgery takes time. Afterward, some babies might need tongue exercises and speech therapy for a complete recovery.

Diagnosis and Evaluation

Pediatricians often spot tongue-tie soon after birth and then consult lactation experts. These experts check if abnormal tongue anatomy might affect breastfeeding.

A tight or short frenulum alone doesn't mean a baby has tongue-tie or needs treatment. Only when a baby has both a tight lingual frenulum and limited tongue movement is diagnosis and treatment necessary.

Who are the Candidates?

Infants, children, and adults with tongue tie issues are eligible for the surgery.

List of Hospitals for Tongue Tie Surgery in India

• Amrita Hospital, Faridabad
• Amrita Hospital, Kochi
• Medanta - The Medicity Hospital
• Moolchand Kharaiti Ram Hospital
• KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad
• Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital, Mumbai
• Vijaya Hospital, Chennai
• Indraprastha Apollo Hospital
• Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, Kolkata
• Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

 List of Doctors for Tongue Tie Surgery in India

• Dr. P. L. Dhingra
• Dr. R K Trivedi
• Dr. Sunail Kathuria
• Dr. Sabir Husain Ansari
• Dr. Ganapathy H
• Dr. E.V. Raman
• Dr. Kumud Kumar Handa
• Dr. Sanjay Sachdeva
• Dr. Sandeep Sindhu
• Dr. Lalit Mohan Parashar

Complications 

• Dehydration
• Inability to feed
• Weight loss
• Damaged tongue muscles
• Damaged salivary (spit) glands
• Breathing problems

Conclusion

Tongue tie is a common birth condition that makes breastfeeding hard for some babies.

The condition might cause speaking or mouth-shape issues later. However, some babies with tongue-tie don't need surgery for breastfeeding.

Your lactation consultant or doctor can guide you in recommending the best treatment for your baby. If surgery is necessary, they will explain all the options.