Congenital Anomalies

Expert surgical care can restore function, support confidence, and help you feel at home in your body.

Procedure Overview

Congenital anomalies are structural differences present from birth that may affect appearance, function, or both. While every condition is unique, the aim of treatment is always to restore comfort, confidence, and quality of life.

These anomalies may involve the hands, face, skull, or other areas of the body. Some differences are primarily aesthetic, while others may impact daily function, growth, breathing, or feeding.

Surgery, often involving a craniofacial or hand surgery team and usually conducted within the public hospital system, can play an important role in supporting development and improving function. Treatment is highly individualised and may occur in stages, frequently in collaboration with a wider medical team. The goal is to combine technical excellence with compassionate care, supporting both physical outcomes and overall wellbeing.

In the private sector, while primary craniofacial anomaly care is not offered, corrective hand surgery and secondary refinements such as scar revision and secondary adjustments are performed as required.

Conditions We Treat

  • A newborn’s skull is made up of several soft plates of bone that are joined together by seams called sutures. These sutures allow the skull to gently change shape during birth and then expand as the baby’s brain grows. In some children, one or more of these sutures close too early, a condition called craniosynostosis. When this happens, the skull can’t grow normally in that area, leading to changes in shape that depend on which sutures are affected. Craniofacial surgery can help reshape the skull and support healthy development.

  • This form of craniosynostosis occurs when the suture at the centre of the forehead fuses too early. It can cause the forehead to appear narrow or pointed, creating a triangular shape at the front of the head. Surgery can help to reshape the forehead and create a more typical skull contour.

  • Positional plagiocephaly, the most common type, often develops when babies spend a lot of time lying in the same position. Because the skull is soft and still forming, a flat spot may appear at the back of the head, and the ear and forehead on that side can be gently pushed forward. Early detection usually allows for simple, non-surgical treatment through positioning strategies.
    Less commonly, plagiocephaly can be caused by the early fusion of a suture, which may require craniofacial surgery to correct.

  • When the sutures that run from the soft spot on top of the head down to the temples fuse too early, the skull may grow in a way that’s shorter from front to back and wider from side to side. Surgery can be used to restore a more typical head shape.

  • This occurs when the midline suture on top of the head closes too soon. Because growth can’t happen from side to side, the skull becomes long and narrow instead. Surgical correction can help restore balance and space for healthy brain growth.

  • This condition involves early fusion of multiple skull sutures and can affect the shape of the head and face. Surgery, often performed within the first year of life, can help reshape the skull, allow for normal brain growth, and improve facial balance.

  • Treacher–Collins affects the bones and tissues of the face, and its severity varies widely. Some children have only subtle differences, while others have more noticeable changes. Common features can include underdeveloped cheekbones, a small jaw, downward-slanting eyes, or differences in the ears. These features can often be improved, or sometimes fully corrected, with tailored surgical procedures. Each treatment plan is unique to the individual.

  • This is one of the most common congenital facial differences after cleft lip and palate. It usually affects one side of the face, often involving the ear, jaw, and surrounding structures. The degree of difference can range from mild to more complex. Modern surgical techniques, including jawbone lengthening in infancy, allow the face to grow more evenly over time, and treatment is carefully planned to suit each child’s needs.

  • Binder’s Syndrome is a rare condition where the central midface, including the nose and upper jaw, doesn’t develop fully. This can cause a flattened appearance of the nose and a bite where the lower jaw appears more prominent. Some people may also experience nasal obstruction, snoring, or speech difficulties. Surgery can help improve both function and appearance, using techniques tailored to each patient.

  • Apert Syndrome involves early fusion of multiple skull sutures, often resulting in a short skull shape and a high, prominent forehead. The eyes may be set wider apart, and the hands or feet can be affected by fused fingers or toes (syndactyly). Treatment often involves staged craniofacial surgery to reshape the skull and face, and hand surgery to separate fused digits, typically in early childhood.

  • In polydactyly, a child is born with one or more extra fingers or toes. This can range from a small nubbin of tissue to a fully formed, functional digit. Extra digits are usually removed with surgery in early childhood, allowing for normal function and appearance.

  • Syndactyly occurs when two or more digits are joined together by skin or, in some cases, bone. It can occur on its own or as part of a genetic syndrome. Surgery to separate the digits, often performed in infancy, can greatly improve hand function and appearance, and even in complex cases, children often recover excellent movement.

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