ROENTGENCEPHALOMETRIC FOLLOW-UP AFTER EARLY OSTEOTOMIES IN PATIENTS WITH SCAPHOCEPHALY

The main objective of surgical treatment of scaphocephaly is to improv e the shape of the patient's skull. Since 1989 we have used a modified pi-plasty method, and the aim of this report was to study how effecti ve surgery had been. A sample of 25 patients was investigated. All pat ients were operated on during their first year of life (mean: 6 months ). They had roentgencephalometric records preoperatively as well as at a follow-up at age 3 years. Certain measurements were taken from the cephalograms and compared with normative data. It was found that the a verage skull length had decreased from a preoperative 114% of normal t o 107% at follow-up. The skull width had improved from 92% to 98% of n ormal. The cephalic index had improved as well but was still not withi n the normal range. The cephalograms were also classified according to the occurrence of digital markings. Before surgery at 6 months none h ad these signs, but at follow-up every second patient displayed evolut ion of digital markings. It was concluded that the modified pi-plasty method improves skull morphology considerably but does not completely normalize the shape of the average patient's skull. The cranial length , in particular, needs further improvement.