Frenotomy Revision Rate in Breastfeeding Infants: The Impact of Early Versus Late Follow-Up

Complications and misdiagnoses associated with infant frenotomy: results of a healthcare professional survey

Background

In the past 10–15 years, there has been increased concern about ankyloglossia and its effect on infant breastfeeding. This has been associated with increased performance of frenotomy. Physicians and other healthcare professionals with expertise in breastfeeding have voiced concerns about complications related to the performance of infant frenotomy. Reviews of this topic have reported no significant complications after frenotomy. Other data on complications consist of case reports.

Methods

An online survey was developed by physicians with expertise in breastfeeding and e-mailed to physician and dentist members of Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) between 11 November and 31 December 2019. It requested information from the respondents who cared for the mother/infant breastfeeding couple about their experiences personally caring for infants with complications or misdiagnoses related to referral for frenotomy or the performance of a frenotomy. Data were analyzed using chi square, Cramer’s V correlation, and binomial logistic regression.

Results

Of 211 eligible respondents, 129 (61%) had cared for an infant with a complication or misdiagnosis. Two hundred and nine (209) infants were reported to have a complication and 237 had a misdiagnosis. The most common misdiagnoses reported were 101 of 237 infants (43%) with neuromuscular dysfunction and 65 of 237 (27%) with inadequate breastfeeding support. The most common complications reported were a repeat procedure considered/requested/performed 65 of 203 (32%) and oral aversion 57 of 203 (28%). Parental report of infant pain was associated with performance of a posterior frenotomy (Chi Square p < .003). Bleeding was associated with using scissors/scalpel vs laser/bovie/electrosurgery (Chi Square p = .001). Oral aversion was associated with performance of frenotomy by laser/bovie/electrosurgery vs scissors/scalpel (adjusted Odds Ratio of 4.05; 95% CI 2.07, 7.93).

Conclusions

Complications and misdiagnoses are occurring after infant frenotomy. Physicians and dentists should work closely with lactation professionals to provide skilled breastfeeding support and to evaluate for other confounding problems that might impact infant breastfeeding before referral for frenotomy. Randomized controlled trials of optimized lactation support vs. frenotomy and of scissors vs laser in performance of frenotomy are needed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13006-022-00481-w.

A Retrospective Cohort Study of the Impact of Upper Lip Tie Release on Breastfeeding in Infants

Objectives: Lingual frenotomies for the purpose of improving infant breastfeeding remain controversial, whereas maxillary frenotomies are even more so given the scant data and differing opinions on the matter. This study aimed at further elucidating the effect that maxillary frenula have on breastfeeding difficulties in infants. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on infants approximately aged 0-3 months who presented to a tongue tie/breastfeeding clinic from January to December of 2019. All analyzed infants had both lip and tongue ties classified by a clinician. Data on pre-frenotomy pain scores, lingual Coryllos classification, maxillary Kotlow classification, post-frenotomy complications, and breastfeeding success were captured. Results: Of the 316 infants, 224 underwent their first procedure at the tongue tie/breastfeeding clinic. Two hundred eleven out of 224 infants received a lingual frenotomy only, whereas the remaining 13 (5.8%) underwent both lingual and maxillary frenotomy procedures. Of the group of 211, 207 (98.1%) had successful feeding after 1 procedure; the remaining 4 underwent revision procedures to achieve successful feeding. All maxillary frenulum releases (n = 13) led to successful feeding without the need for revision procedures. Coryllos and Kotlow classification scores were significantly higher in the infants receiving both a maxillary and lingual frenulum release as compared with those receiving solely a lingual frenulum release. Conclusions: The majority (98.1%) of infants receiving a lingual frenulum release alone had successful feeding after only one procedure, and only 5.8% of all infants receiving any intervention required a maxillary frenulum release for successful feeding, calling into question the relative necessity of performing maxillary frenulum releases for breastfeeding difficulties.