Peter Hodgkinson Consultant Plastic Surgeon Newcastle

Peter Hodgkinson Consultant Plastic Surgeon Newcastle: Expert Care and Leadership

Peter Hodgkinson Consultant Plastic Surgeon Newcastle provides exceptional care in cleft and facial surgery. He leads the Newcastle Cleft Service, guiding a team that delivers multidisciplinary care. Over decades, he has achieved innovative results while maintaining high clinical standards.

During his studies at Manchester University, Mr Hodgkinson completed a PhD in cleft lip and palate. Furthermore, he earned his medical degree with Honours in 1985. Following this, he finished his general surgery training and obtained his FRCS in 1989.

Early Career and Advanced Training

Mr Hodgkinson advanced his plastic surgery training across Manchester, Slough, Newcastle, and South Wales. Additionally, he spent a year at the Australian Craniofacial Unit in Adelaide. There, he served as senior registrar and locum consultant. Notably, he helped develop the Early Management of Severe Burns course. This course now sets the standard in the UK.

Achievements of Peter Hodgkinson Consultant Plastic Surgeon Newcastle

In 1996, he became a consultant plastic surgeon in Newcastle. Initially, he covered cleft surgery, head and neck cancer, and breast reconstruction. Moreover, he introduced mandibular distraction surgery, improving both aesthetic and functional outcomes. Remarkably, this technique enabled nearly perfect tracheostomy removal in children with small jaws.

He also developed the craniofacial and skull base service. Likewise, he introduced craniofacial access surgery as a routine procedure. Additionally, he performed the first bilateral autologous tissue breast reconstruction in the north-east.

Leadership in Cleft and Facial Surgery

Over time, Mr Hodgkinson focused on cleft and facial surgery. He has led the Newcastle Cleft Service since 2002. For many years, he was the only cleft surgeon in the north-east. In 2014, he completed surgery on his 1,000th child with a cleft. Under his guidance, the service now ranks among the UK’s leading centres. Notably, it provides outcomes exceeding national standards and publishes internationally.

Innovations Beyond Cleft Surgery

Mr Hodgkinson develops techniques in complex rhinoplasty, using innovations like the Breathe Implant and skeletal augmentation. Moreover, he employs fibrin sealants and cartilage putty to enhance quality and reduce hospital stays. Functional and aesthetic facial surgery remain interconnected in his approach. Consequently, he became the first north-east surgeon awarded the Certificate in Cosmetic Surgery for face, breast, and trunk procedures.

Continuing Contributions and Professional Roles

Recently, he stepped down as head of the plastic surgery department. However, he remains active in burns care and skin cancer treatment. Furthermore, he served as President of the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland and as Trustee of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association.

Special interests include:

• Cleft lip and palate – primary and secondary surgery

• Facial plastic surgery – complex deformities and skeletal distraction

• Complex rhinoplasty – cleft and non-cleft

• Burns and skin cancer

• Aesthetic surgery