Effectiveness of Post-Procedural Manual Manipulation for Infant Ankyloglossia in Enhancing Breastfeeding and Reducing Revision Rates: A Prospective Randomized Trial

What this Trial Is About

This trial studies infants with ankyloglossia, commonly known as tongue-tie, to see if doing manual tongue exercises after a frenotomy (a procedure to release the tongue) can reduce the need for repeat procedures and improve breastfeeding. The research aims to compare outcomes between babies who do these exercises after surgery and those who do not. The study is a randomized controlled trial led by Georgetown University, focusing on how manual manipulation may affect tongue healing and feeding success. Infants under 90 days old who have a frenotomy with cold-steel scissors and are at least partly breastfed are randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the treatment group, parents will perform tongue stretching and suck re-training exercises four times a day for 2 to 3 weeks, starting 24 hours after the procedure. The control group will not receive instructions for any exercises. Follow-ups include a phone call one week after surgery and an in-person visit 2 to 3 weeks after to review breastfeeding and any need for further frenotomy. During the study, researchers will track how well parents follow the exercise plan and monitor any problems through the phone follow-up. At the in-person visit, they will evaluate breastfeeding performance and determine if another frenotomy is needed. The main outcomes measured are the rate of repeat frenotomies and improvements in breastfeeding from the time of enrollment to the postoperative visit. Participation lasts about 2 to 3 weeks after the procedure.

Post-Procedural Manual Manipulation for Infant Ankyloglossia