It is designated by the 'Rare diseases' section of the Department of Health and NHS England, as one of the 'highly specialised services', and so receives specific funding allocation.
We treat both children and adults with congenital and acquired craniofacial abnormalities.
The largest group of patients we care for is children with craniosynostosis.
The treatment of this condition is primarily surgical, but the overall management is multidisciplinary.
Our large multidisciplinary team (MDT) meets monthly and includes:
- plastic surgery
- neurosurgery
- maxillofacial surgery
- ear, nose and throat (ENT)
- paediatric anaesthesia
- neuroradiology
- orthodontics
- speech and language therapy
- clinical psychology
- ophthalmology
- orthoptics
- clinical genetics.
Our team
Clinics
We have weekly MDT clinics for craniosynostosis patients and a weekly MDT radiology meeting where all radiographs are discussed.
We have a monthly MDT clinic for patients who need orthodontic and maxillofacial treatment, and a weekly non-MDT craniofacial clinic. All clinics are led alternately by Mr Johnson, Mr Thomas and Mr Wall.
Weekly activity on the Craniofacial Unit
Monday
8.30am - 6.30pm Operating Theatre
Tuesday
- Morning: Craniofacial MDT Clinic (4 in 4 weeks)
- Afternoon: Craniofacial MDT Clinic (2 in 4 weeks)
- Preoperative work-up of patients for a major procedure on Thursday
Wednesday
- Morning: Radiology Review (4 in 4 weeks)
- Morning: Skull Base Clinic (2 in 4 weeks)
- Afternoon: Consenting patients for Thursday
- Preoperative work-up of patients for a major procedure on Thursday
Thursday
- 8.30am - 6.30pm Operating Theatre
- Preoperative work-up of patients for a major procedure on Monday
Friday
- Morning: Plastics Clinic (3 in 4 weeks)
- Morning: CMFOS Clinic (1 in 4 weeks)
- Afternoon: Consenting patients for Monday
- Preoperative work-up of patients for a major procedure on Monday
Research
Oxford Craniofacial Unit is fully integrated with Professor Andrew Wilkie's University of Oxford research laboratory, which is world-leading in the molecular genetics of craniosynostosis.
