The correction of fronto-orbital deformity in infant craniosynostosis--a one year experience

Objective: To evaluate the correction of fronto-orbital deformation in infant craniosynostosis and to discuss the timing of treatment and surgical technique.

Methods: Eleven consecutive patients with craniosynostoses underwent bilateral fronto-orbital osteotomies and advancement via coronal approaches. There were two females and 9 males with an age range from 6 to 9 months. Among the patients, six had trigonocephaly secondary to metopic synostosis, two had non-syndromic plagiocephaly secondary to unilateral coronal synostosis, one had turricephaly secondary to multi-sutural synostosis and two patients had brachycephaly due to syndromic synostosis (Apert syndrome and Saethre-Chotzen syndrome).

Results: The shape of forehead, bilateral orbit and bilateral temples in all patients markedly improved with 2-11 months follow-up. There were not obvious complications except that the unilateral parietal bossing happened to the child with turricephaly postoperatively.

Conclusions: Satisfactory results show that fronto-orbital advancement is safe and effective way to correct frontal and orbital retrusion secondary to craniosynostosis.