Lip, cleft


A fissure in the upper lip that is due to failure of the left and right sides of the fetal lip tissue to fuse, an event that should take place by 35 days of fetal age. Cleft lip can be on one side only or on both sides. Because failure of lip fusion can impair the subsequent closure of the palatal shelves, cleft lip often occurs in association with cleft palate. It is one of the most common physical birth defects, and it can be corrected with surgery.

Read Also:

  • Lipectomy, suction-assisted

    Another name for liposuction, the surgical removal of fat deposits from specific parts of the body, the most common being the abdomen (the “tummy”), buttocks (“behind”), hips, thighs and knees, chin, upper arms, back, and calves. The technique breaks up and “sucks” fat out of the body through a canula (a hollow instrument) inserted subdermally […]

  • Lipid

    Another word for “fat.” (Please see the various meanings of fat.) A lipid is chemically defined as a substance that is insoluble in water and soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform. Lipids are an important component of living cells. Together with carbohydrates and proteins, lipids are the main constituents of plant and animal cells. Cholesterol […]

  • Lipid profile

    A pattern of lipids in the blood. A lipid profile usually includes the levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and the calculated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ‘cholesterol.

  • Lipid storage diseases

    A series of disorders due to inborn errors in lipid metabolism resulting in the abnormal accumulation of lipids in the wrong places (Examples include Gaucher, Fabry and Niemann-Pick diseases and metachromatic leukodystrophy).

  • Lipids

    Whereas the everyday term “fat” comes from the Old English (from “faett” meaning crammed or adorned), the more scientific term “lipid” comes from the Greek “lipos” which referred to animal fat or vegetable oil.


Disclaimer: Lip, cleft definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.