What is Craniosynostosis?

A baby's skull is made up of five bones held together by fibrous material called sutures.  Normally, these sutures remain open as long as the brain is growing, allowing room for the brain to grow in all directions.  These sutures will normally remain open until brain growth is complete.  Craniosynostosis, the premature closure of one or more of these sutures, occurs when the bones in the skull have fused together before the brain has stopped growing.  When a suture closes prematurely, the brain still has to grow somewhere.  It will grow in the direction of least resistance (the open sutures), resulting a misshapen skull or face.

When craniosynostosis is suspected, your pediatrician should refer you to a plastic surgeon and/or neurosurgeon for diagnosis.  At the cranio-facial clinic at Children's Hospital in Winnipeg, we are fortunate enough to have a plastic surgeon and neurosurgeon that work as a team from diagnosis through completion of post-operative follow-up.  Although cranio can sometimes be diagnosed by visual inspection, a CT scan is a good idea for definite confirmation of fusion as well as to rule out the involvement of any other sutures and ensure that there is no pressure on the brain.  Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the course of treatment will be decided.

In the cases where treatment is required, the only treatment for craniosynostosis is surgery.  The fusion must be released to allow the skull to grow in the proper directions.  Depending on age, involved suture and severity, there are different surgical options available as well as post surgical treatment.  These options will be discussed  in the relevant sections of this site.  Not every surgeon uses the same surgical methods and not all methods may be an option for you.  Your surgical team will provide you with the information on the options available to you.

This site is not created or maintained by doctors and should not be used in place of medical advice from health professionals.