RESULTS OF EXTENDED CRANIECTOMY INCLUDING SUPRAORBITAL ADVANCEMENT IN PREMATURE CORONAL AND FRONTAL CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS

Between 1982-1989 an extended craniectomy including supraorbital advancement was performed in 27 infants. Age ranged from 2.5 to 10 months (median 4.5 months). Six had a premature synostosis of the frontal suture, 11 a monolateral synostosis of the coronal suture and 10 a bilateral coronal synostosis. Eighty per cent had an excellent or good result. The amount of remodelling, as measured by the orbital roof angle, showed a tendency to normalisation of the anterior fossa in the lateral projection 3-4.5 months following surgery. In some of the infants the neurological signs and psychomotor development were ameliorated by the operation. But, in monolateral cases of coronal synostoses a squint of various types was observed more frequently.