“Inpatient surgical release of lingual frenulums rose 10-fold between 1997 and 2012 despite insufficient evidence that frenotomy for ankyloglossia is associated with improvements in breastfeeding. Clear indications for surgical release remain murky, and best practice guidelines have yet to be developed.”
A growing number of infants are undergoing corrective procedures for tongue-tie, but a new study suggests that surgery isn’t always ideal.
The researchers found that nearly 63 percent of the infants did not need the surgery after all….
Parents of newborns can sometimes feel pressure to decide quickly about whether to have a tongue-tie procedure, said Dr. Christopher J. Hartnick, the director of pediatric otolaryngology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and one of the authors of the study. “But I think it’s important to know they can step back and take a moment and really ask the question, ‘Why?’ and ‘Is there another way?”
The huge majority of these procedures are being done on an outpatient basis in clinics where we don’t even know what the actual rate of complications are,” Dr. Hartnick said. “The outcomes are not being tracked.”
Tongue-tie diagnoses and surgeries are on the rise across the United States. A 2017 study found that the number of babies who had frenotomies as inpatients increased from 1,279 surgeries in 1997 to more than 12,000 surgeries in 2012.
(Numbers are much higher now)
“Tongue-tie controversy: Experts caution against unnecessary surgery”
A 420 per cent increase in controversial procedures to snip "tongue-tie" in babies has prompted a coalition of professional dental and medical groups to warn parents against unnecessary and potentially life-threatening surgery.”
“In recent years, surging numbers of infants have gotten minor surgeries for “tongue tie,” to help with breastfeeding or prevent potential health issues. But research suggests many of those procedures could be unnecessary.”
Last Word:
Quality of evidence: The quality of the evidence is very low to moderate because overall only a small number of studies have looked at this condition, the total number of babies included in these studies was low and some studies could have been better designed.
Investigators did not find a consistent positive effect on infant breastfeeding.