Cleft Lip - Van der Woude Syndrome
These diagrams and illustrations have been designed to help you learn, memorise and recall key information.
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Anne Van der Woude in 1954 was the first to describe the association between lower lip pits and cleft lip and/or palate.
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Whilst cleft palate is more frequently associated with an underlying syndrome, cleft lip is typically not associated with a syndrome. Van der Woude syndrome is the exception to this.
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Van der Woude syndrome is a genetic disorder.
It is characterised by the combination of
- lower lip pits
- cleft lip with or without cleft palate and cleft palate alone (CP).
Other features frequently associated with with syndrome include
- hypodontia in 10-81% of cases
- narrow arched palate
- congenital heart disease
- heart murmur
- cerebral abnormalities
- syndactyly of the hands
- polythelia
- adhesions between the upper and lower gum pads.
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The worldwide disease incidence ranges from 1:100,000 to 1:40,000.
