Frontal head posture in shunt-treated hydrocephalic patients

Objects: The aim of this study was to evaluate frontal head posture in shun t-treated hydrocephalic patients and its relation to the sidedness of the s hunt device. Methods. Natural head position and frontal cephalograms of 55 shunt-treated Finnish hydrocephalic patients and 33 healthy Finnish subject s were analysed using a computerised digitising program (X-METRIX). The fol lowing reference angles were used: ORB/HOR, indicating the head position re lated to the true horizontal; CER/VER, indicating the cervical position rel ated to the true vertical; and CER/CR, indicating the craniocervical positi on. Conclusions: The results showed an increased skewness of the head in th e shunt-treated subjects, which was not related to the shunt side.