eMedicine Specialties > Neurology > Pediatric Neurology
Craniosynostosis: Follow-up
Updated: Nov 12, 2009
Follow-up
Further Outpatient Care
Following surgery, carefully monitor patients to ensure that the suture does not re-fuse. Continue head circumference measurements. Watch for signs of raised intracranial pressure in infants at risk.
Complications
In the immediate postoperative period, complications include hemorrhage.
Prognosis
- Patients with primary craniosynostosis must be monitored after surgery. The vast majority of patients with primary, single suture synostosis have little or no morbidity following surgery.
- In secondary craniosynostosis, prognosis is dependent upon underlying etiology.
- Patients with syndromic craniosynostosis can have a much more complicated clinical course due to the increased severity of the craniosynostosis and associated problems (eg, hydrocephalus and airway obstruction). A multidisciplinary approach is important in the management of the complex problems of these patients.
Patient Education
If a patient has a mild head shape deformity, inform parents that the deformity will become less prominent with the appearance of abundant hair and physiological molding.
More on Craniosynostosis |
| Overview: Craniosynostosis |
| Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Craniosynostosis |
| Treatment & Medication: Craniosynostosis |
Follow-up: Craniosynostosis |
| Multimedia: Craniosynostosis |
| References |
| Further Reading |
| « Previous Page | Next Page » |
References
Jabs EW. Toward understanding the pathogenesis of craniosynostosis through clinical and molecular correlates. Clin Genet. Feb 1998;53(2):79-86. [Medline].
Higginbottom MC, Jones KL, James HE. Intrauterine constraint and craniosynostosis. Neurosurgery. Jan 1980;6(1):39-44. [Medline].
Sheth RD, Schaefer GB, Keller GM, et al. Size of the corpus callosum in cerebral palsy. J Neuroimaging. Jul 1996;6(3):180-3. [Medline].
Schaefer GB, Sheth RD, Bodensteiner JB. Cerebral dysgenesis. An overview. Neurol Clin. Nov 1994;12(4):773-88. [Medline].
Losee JE, Corde Mason A. Deformational plagiocephaly: diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Clin Plast Surg. Jan 2005;32(1):53-64. [Medline].
Robin NH. Molecular genetic advances in understanding craniosynostosis. Plast Reconstr Surg. Mar 1999;103(3):1060-70. [Medline].
Anderson PJ, Netherway DJ, Abbott A, David DJ. Intracranial Volume Measurement of Metopic Craniosynostosis. J Craniofac Surg. 11 2004;15(6):1014-1016. [Medline].
Cunningham ML, Heike CL. Evaluation of the infant with an abnormal skull shape. Curr Opin Pediatr. Dec 2007;19(6):645-51. [Medline].
Dundulis JA, Becker DB, Govier DP, et al. Coronal ring involvement in patients treated for unilateral coronal craniosynostosis. Plast Reconstr Surg. Dec 2004;114(7):1695-703. [Medline].
Elmslie FV, Reardon W. Craniofacial developmental abnormalities. Curr Opin Neurol. Apr 1998;11(2):103-8. [Medline].
Fernbach SK. Craniosynostosis 1998: concepts and controversies. Pediatr Radiol. Sep 1998;28(9):722-8. [Medline].
Liptak GS, Serletti JM. Pediatric approach to craniosynostosis. Pediatr Rev. Oct 1998;19(10):352; quiz 359. [Medline].
Sheth RD, Mullett MD, Bodensteiner JB, Hobbs GR. Longitudinal head growth in developmentally normal preterm infants. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. Dec 1995;149(12):1358-61. [Medline].
Keywords
craniosynostosis, abnormal head shape, ossification, primary craniosynostosis, failure of brain growth, secondary craniosynostosis, simple craniosynostosis, complex craniosynostosis, compound craniosynostosis, syndromic craniosynostosis, anterior plagiocephaly, Apert syndrome, brachycephaly, Carpenter syndrome, Chotzen syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, kleeblattschãdel, cloverleaf skull, oxycephaly, Pfeiffer syndrome, plagiocephaly, scaphocephaly, trigonocephaly
Follow-up: Craniosynostosis