A First Look at Improvements in Infant Feeding Mechanics Following Lingual Frenotomy with Bobak Ghaheri, MD

This presentation will cover recent new research by local ENT surgeon, Dr Bobak Ghaheri. He has previously published two research studies on the importance of tongue tie release on breastfeeding outcomes. While his two studies (and others) demonstrate improvement in breastfeeding outcomes, the research supporting a tongue tie release for bottle feeding has not been completed until now. Using an FDA approved bottle feeding system (NFANT labs) to measure infant sucking motions and changes in sucking parameters, Dr. Ghaheri developed a randomized and controlled trial to examine the impact of lingual frenotomy on bottle feeding mechanics. This study demonstrates objective improvements in these mechanics. Furthermore, patient reported outcomes for nipple pain, infant reflux and maternal breastfeeding self-confidence were also significantly better in the treatment group compared to the control group. These findings definitively demonstrate that posterior tongue tie is an important clinical entity.

Dr Ghaheri did his undergraduate training in Spanish and Anthropology at The Ohio State University and remained there for medical school. In 2002, he and his wonderful wife relocated to Portland, Oregon, where he did his residency training in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University. In 2007, he joined The Oregon Clinic, the largest multispecialty clinic in Oregon. His clinical interest is helping babies with breastfeeding difficulties. This desire stems from personal experiences, where both of his daughters had significant problems breastfeeding. He is one of the only ENT surgeons in the US who uses an in-office laser treatment for assisting babies to latch on to the breast, in addition to treating older children and adults for certain dental and speech issues.

1.5 CERPS pending approval for current OWLA members