The skull of an infant is made up of
free-floating bones separated by fibers called sutures.
This allows the infant's head to pass through the birth
canal and also enables the skull to grow with the brain
in early infancy.
Premature fusing of the
sutures is called craniosynostosis, which restricts
skull growth. The cause of premature fusion is unknown.
Synostosis is the union of two or more bones to form
single bone.
DIAGNOSIS OF CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS
Diagnosis begins with an examination
by a neurosurgeon and or craniofacial surgeon. A
distorted head at birth does not always result from
craniosynostosis. The initial history involves questions
about abnormal fetal position, which can cause
positional deformities. The physical examination
involves carefully feeling the skull for suture ridges
and soft spots, or fontanelles, and checking for neck
position and other deformities. Measurements are taken
of the child's face and head. Normally CT and/or MRI
Scans of the brain are ordered since they provide the
most reliable method of diagnosing early suture fusion.
These scans are needed when planning the surgical
correction. |
