Sagittal craniosynostosis, also called Sagittal craniosynostosis, Scaphocephaly, or dolichocephaly, is the most common type of craniosynostosis , which occurs when the bones in a baby’s head fuse abnormally  .

What is Sagittal Craniosynostosis?

Craniosynostosis occurs when certain bones in a child’s skull fuse prematurely. At birth, a child’s skull consists of several separate bones with growth plates between them.

Since the skull is not yet a hardened bone, it can grow inside the brain and expand in size. Normally, the sutures in the skull close in adulthood.

In some children, the skull bones fuse before they should. Sagittal craniosynostosis refers to premature closure of the suture that runs from front to back at the top of the head. Babies are often identified with abnormal head shapes soon after birth.

When this happens, it puts pressure on the brain as the skull’s room to expand is restricted and can prevent the brain from growing normally. Scaphocephaly also causes a child’s head to appear misshapen. We therefore recommend that parents treat this condition early when they become aware of it – preferably before six months of age.

Picture 1. Sagittal Craniosynostosis (1)

Figure 2: Sagittal craniosynostosis (1)

How is Sagittal Craniosynostosis Treated?

When bones fuse prematurely, the only way to separate them is surgery. As a surgery choice, neurosurgeons can perform both endoscopic and open craniosynostosis surgery, depending on the patient’s condition.

• Endoscopic craniosynostosis repair .  In general, we do not recommend minimally invasive surgery for scaphocephaly in suitable patients. Helmet treatment is generally recommended after endoscopic surgery. It is an important support both to protect from trauma and to direct the ongoing shaping correctly.
• Open craniosynostosis repair surgery.   It uses a traditional technique for children who are not candidates for minimally invasive surgery. With this examination, the possibility of bleeding and the duration of stay in intensive care may be slightly longer.

What Causes Sagittal Craniosynostosis?

Sagittal craniosynostosis can occur for no known cause in a healthy baby, but is also linked to:

• Apert syndrome
• Beare-Stevenson syndrome
• Crouzon syndrome
• Jackson-Weiss syndrome
• muenke syndrome
• Pfeiffer syndrome

How is Sagittal Craniosynostosis Diagnosed?

A simple physical examination can usually diagnose sagittal craniosynostosis. A quick, painless imaging method (X-ray or CT scan) is also ordered to confirm their diagnosis.

Source: R. Seeberger, J. Hoffmann, C. Freudlsperger, M. Berger, J. Bodem, D. Horn, M. Engel,
Intracranial volume (ICV) in isolated sagittal craniosynostosis measured by 3D photocephalometry: A new perspective on a controversial issue, Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Volume 44, Issue 5, 2016, Pages 626-631, ISSN 1010-5182, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcms.2016.01.023.