Which combination of measures is included in the infant's postoperative care after cleft lip repair?

• A. Cleansing the suture line, supine and side-lying positions, and arm restraints
• B. Arm restraints
• C. Supine and side-lying positions
• D. Cleansing the suture line

Answer: (A)

Protecting the repair site while keeping the airway safe and preventing self-trauma is the key goal after cleft lip repair. Cleansing the suture line with sterile technique helps prevent infection and keeps the incision clean during healing. Positioning the infant supine, with side-lying as allowed, minimizes pressure on the lip and supports breathing, avoiding prone positions that can risk airway complications. Arm restraints are used to prevent the infant from touching or pulling at the incision, reducing the chance of suture disruption or wound reopening. Together, these measures address infection prevention, protection of the surgical site, and safety. The other options miss one or more essential elements: restraints alone don’t address cleansing and positioning; cleansing alone doesn’t guard against pulling on the sutures; positioning alone doesn’t prevent contamination or self-trauma.