Age-related changes in intracranial pressure in rabbits with uncorrected familial coronal suture synostosis

Objective: Chronic, elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in craniosynostoti c infants may result in ocular and neurocapsular problems; however, not all infants exhibit elevated ICP. Clinical ICP studies are further confounded by small and heterogeneic samples, multiple-suture involvement, and varying surgical management protocols. The present study was designed to describe longitudinal changes in ICP in a large, homogenous sample of rabbits with u ncorrected familial, nonsyndromic coronal suture synostosis, Methods: Ninety-one rabbits were divided into four groups: (1) normal rabbi ts (n = 28), (2) rabbits with delayed-onset coronal suture synostosis (DOCS ; n = 25), (3) rabbits with unilateral coronal suture synostosis (UCS; n = 12), and (4) rabbits with bilateral coronal suture synostosis (BCS; n = 26) , ICP was measured at 24 and 42 days of age using a Codman epidural microtr ansducer, Results: Rabbits with BCS had a significantly (p < .05) higher mean ICP at 25 days of age than rabbits in the other three groups by approximately 146% , However, by 42 days of age, mean ICP in normal control rabbits and rabbit s with DOGS was significantly (p < .01) increased compared with their mean ICP values seen at 25 days of age, while mean ICP in BCS rabbits significan tly (p < .01) decreased (by 32%) over the same time period. ICP in rabbits with UCS was between that seen in normal control rabbits and rabbits with B CS and did not significantly (p > .05) change over time. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the degree of suture involvement m ay be related to early increases in ICP. Possible multifactorial explanatio ns for intracranial decompression and compensation in the craniosynostotic rabbit model are discussed.