What is a cleft lip?
A cleft lip is a gap in the upper lip on either one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilateral). It can vary from a slight notch (an incomplete cleft lip) to a longer gap extending up towards and into the nostril (a complete cleft lip).
Behind the cleft lip there may be a groove or gap in the upper gum.
Will my baby need an operation?
Yes, the timing will depend on the health and progress of your child. A cleft lip is usually repaired between three and five months of age. If there is a gap in the upper gum then another operation may be needed between the ages of eight to eleven years. The pictures show children with different types of cleft lip, both before and after surgery. It is difficult to predict exactly how your child will look after their operation as The pictures show children with different types of cleft lip, both before and after surgery. It is difficult to predict exactly how your child will look after their operation as scars vary according to healing and skin type.
Consultant Surgeons
Ms Victoria Beale Consultant Cleft / Maxillofacial Surgeon Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Vicky is the Clinical Director of the Cleft Network and a surgeon based at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
She trained at Newcastle University qualifying initially in Dentistry in 1993 and intent on a career in maxillofacial surgery went on to qualify in Medicine with a Distinction in 1999. Early surgical training was in the North East of England with a subsequent move to the West of Scotland to join their highly regarded Maxillofacial Higher Surgical Training Program.
Vicky was awarded a prestigious National Cleft Interface Fellowship in 2006 gaining extensive experience in the management of patients with a cleft lip and palate and related conditions based in specialist cleft centres in Leeds, Newcastle and at Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital in London.
After a year as a consultant in cleft and maxillofacial surgery at Salisbury District Hospital she moved to join the Maxillofacial Surgery units in Manchester and has been based at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and the Manchester Royal Infirmary since 2010.
Her areas of special interest in Paediatric Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Cleft Lip and Palate and Speech Surgery for non-cleft velopharyngeal insufficiency.
Mr Chris Sweet Consultant Cleft, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, BDS, MBChB,MFDS.RCS,MRCS, FRCS (OMFS)
Chris is based at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
Consultant Cleft, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
He completed undergraduate medical and dental degrees at the University of Manchester. His post-graduate Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery training was also carried out in Manchester and the North West of England. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and a member of the craniofacial society of Great Britain & Ireland.
Following his training in oral & maxillofacial surgery he carried out an 18 month training interface group (TIG) fellowship in cleft lip and palate surgery as part of the North West Cleft Network team, working at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. During his training he has also spent time in the department of plastic and craniofacial surgery at the prestigious Seattle Children’s Hospital, USA and has also visited India several times as part of a charitable cleft surgery outreach team.
He is author and contributor to a number of internationally published papers and a textbook. He continues to present nationally and internationally.
His areas of interest are paediatric Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery and velopharyngeal dysfunction.
Memberships
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Fellow of the British Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland
British Medical Association
British Dental Association
Manchester Medical Society
Mr Simon Van Eeden, Consultant Cleft Surgeon, FRCS Edin, FFDRCS Ireland, FRCS Intercollegiate (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)
Tel: 0151 2552209
Email: simon.van-eeden@alderhey.nhs.uk
Simon is a Consultant Cleft Surgeon, based at Alder Hey’s Cleft Lip and Palate and Maxillofacial Unit. He graduated in dentistry in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1985 and in medicine in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1997, with a masters in maxillofacial surgery following in 2000. He received his FRCS Edinburgh in 2005. He trained at Johannesburg and Pretoria Hospitals; at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading; John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford; and Great Ormond Street Hospital, London.
His areas of interest are cleft lip and palate and he specialises in cleft and maxillofacial surgery. His research interests include palatal muscle structure and function, and he is currently evaluating the success of midline pharyngoplasty in the treatment of velo-pharyngeal insufficiency
Mr David Whitby, Consultant Cleft Surgeon, Royal College of Surgeons.
