Houston Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery
1-713-791-0700
Types of Craniosynostosis and Treatment Options Craniosynostosis is a birth defect which results when the sutures found between the plates of bone in the skull close prematurely. This affects normal brain and skull growth in the infant, causing the skull or facial bones to develop an asymmetrical appearance. Visible signs include an abnormal shape of the skull and/or forehead and asymmetry of the eyes and/or ears. This congenital condition is treated with craniosynostosis surgery. Types of Craniosynostosis Sagittal Synostosis Sagittal Synostosis also known scaphocephaly is the most common type of synostosis. The condition occurs when the suture in the midline of skull that runs right along the top of the head fuses early. This makes the head appear long and narrow, with or without bulging of both the front and back of the head. In scaphocephaly, the premature fusion of the sagittal suture restricts the traverse growth of the skull. The length of the anteroposterior skull increases to accommodate the growing brain and to produce a boat-shaped skull
Houston Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery
1-713-791-0700
Coronal Synostosis Coronal Synostosis is also known as anterior plagiocephaly. It is a condition that happens with premature fusion of either the right or left side of the coronal suture (one of the structures that run from each ear to the sagittal suture on top of the head). This causes flattening of forehead and brow at the affected side. If both the coronal sutures are fused, the infant will develop a flat and prominent forehead and brow. Metopic Synostosis Metopic synostosis or trigoncephaly is characterized by the premature fusion of the suture in the middle of the forehead, resulting in a narrow and triangular forehead with lateral pinching of temples. Multiple Suture Synostosis In multiple suture synostosis, there are multiple types of sutures. There are more than 70 kinds of multiple suture synostosis. In one type, most or all of the skull's sutures close prematurely. Treatment Options Surgery is the typically recommended treatment. A craniofacial surgeon would determine the specific treatment to be administered based on the type of craniosynostosis, extent of the condition, the patient’s medical history, age,
Houston Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery
1-713-791-0700
overall health, and so on. The following are the two common surgical procedures to correct the condition: Endoscopic Synostosis Repair Endoscopic synostosis repair is a minimally invasive surgery that involves the use of an endoscope to correct the deformity. The endoscopic technique allows the surgeon to view the affected suture through minute incisions in the scalp. Through these small incisions, portions of the skull bone are removed over the fused suture. The surgery usually takes approximately one hour and involves less blood loss compared to the other surgical methods. It is usually performed when the baby is very young (less than 3 months old). Cranial Vault Remodeling Cranial vault remodeling is the more traditional mode of operation and usually performed on older children. An incision is made in the infant’s scalp and the shape of the head is corrected by moving the abnormally fused or prematurely fused area in the right manner to reshape the skull. The surgery may take around 8 hours to complete, and blood transfusion may be needed. However, the success of this procedure depends on the expertise of the surgeon. Surgeons specialized in plastic and craniofacial surgery can understand the extent of deformity that can range from severe syndromes to simple fusions. Once the level of deformity is identified, they go
Houston Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery
1-713-791-0700
ahead with diagnosis and treatment to restore brain's normal growth and to reshape the head in appropriate configuration.