Summary
The role of sagittal suturectomy in the treatment of scaphocephaly remains controversial.
The purpose of this study was to report the experience of the National Craniofacial
Unit in Dublin. This unit is the referral centre for the Republic of Ireland and serves
a population of approximately 3.5 million. Quantitative assessments were made using
radiographs and the pre- and postoperative cephalic index (CI) was calculated. Patients
were asked to score their head shapes in a questionnaire.
The mean age at surgery for the 53 children was 4.9 months with a mean follow up of
8 years. Pre- and postoperative radiographs were available for analysis in 24 patients.
The mean preoperative CI was 65.3. There was a statistically significant increase
in the CI postoperatively to 73.7. Seventy five per cent of children achieved a 'normal'
CI and 86% scored their head shapes as good to excellent. There was no correlation
between the age at surgery and the CI achieved. Although only one child was not happy
with the shape of the head, the impression was that the CI correlated poorly with
the clinical assessment of the head shape. There were no significant complications.
We therefore conclude that the sagittal suturectomy is a safe procedure that has a
limited but definite potential to improve the CI. This procedure still has a place
in the surgical repertoire of the craniofacial surgeon dealing with scaphocephaly.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 25, 2007
Accepted:
February 10,
2007
Received:
July 16,
2006
Footnotes
☆Presented at the British Association of Plastic Surgery summer meeting, July 2004, Dublin.
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
