Venous intracranial haemodynamics in children undergoing operative treatment for the repair of craniosynostosis - A prospective study using transcranial colour-coded duplex sonography

To evaluate intracranial venous haemodynamics in craniosynostosis noninvasi vely, we measured the blood flow velocities and pulsatility indices in the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and the middle and the anterior cerebral arte ry during the perioperative course in 21 children undergoing repair of cran iosynostosis involving the midline sutures, using transcranial colour-coded duplex sonography (TCCS). An age-matched group of 12 healthy children was examined in like manner for comparison. In the-healthy group, the mean puls atility index (PI) in the SSS was 0.22 and the mean resistance index (RI) 0 .20. The mean preoperative PI and RI in the synostosis group were significa ntly higher [0.41 and 0.34, respectively (P<0.01)], but fell to 0.19 and 0. 17 (P<0.01) in the postoperative course. Our results indicate that in crani osynostosis there is an altered venous haemodynamics in the SSS, which can be observed noninvasively by TCCS.