Experiences and outcomes of frenotomy in children with ankyloglossia in multiple tertiary centers in Saudi Arabia

Aims: The aim of the study was to examine the experiences and outcomes of frenotomy treatment in neonates and children with ankyloglossia and to explore any subsequent complications. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional study of all pediatric cases of ankyloglossia that initially underwent frenotomy over a period of 5 years, in 2015-2020, across a number of departments in three tertiary centers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Results: The most common indications were feeding difficulty in infants under 4 months and speech difficulty in children over 4 months. Following frenotomy, improvements were observed in symptomatic (96%) and asymptomatic (≈70%) children. Overall complications in the frenotomy procedure, including any minor bleeding, were found to be minimal. Conclusion: Ankyloglossia is a common disorder, but its effects on feeding and speaking are difficult to determine objectively, owing to the complexity of individual cases. Most of the babies in the present study improved following frenotomy, which is a simple, time-efficient, low-cost, and safe procedure.