Surgical correction for unilateral lambdoid synostosis: a systematic review. 2014

Talal Al-Jabri, and Simon Eccles
From the Department of Craniofacial Surgery, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, England.

BACKGROUND Unilateral lambdoid synostosis is considered to be the rarest form of craniosynostosis. Since the introduction of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome "back to sleep" campaign, the incidence of unilateral lambdoid synostosis was reportedly increasing. This was proven to be false and a consequence of non-specific diagnostic criteria in excluding suture fusion from deformational changes. This, in turn, led to ambiguity in the literature in terms of features and surgical correction in the 1980s to 1990s. OBJECTIVE We aimed to navigate the literature for true studies of unilateral lambdoid synostosis and examine the results of their surgical corrections. METHODS A systematic review with a defined search strategy. METHODS A search on MEDLINE and Google Scholar using strategy: (Unilateral AND ((lambdoid* AND Synostosis) OR (lambdoid* AND Craniosynostosis) OR (Posterior AND Plagiocephaly)) AND (Surgery). METHODS Articles were reviewed, and data were compiled into tables for analysis. RESULTS Seventeen studies were included in this review. A total of 188 patients with unilateral lambdoid synostosis were identified. No patients had major complications (venous sinus tear, neurologic injury, or cerebrospinal fluid leakage). Facial asymmetry was widely noted, and only limited improvement was achieved postoperatively. Auricular displacement was variable and often persisted despite surgery. Neurodevelopment did not deteriorate postoperatively and even improved in several patients. Endoscopic techniques revealed shorter periods of hospitalization, reduced mean estimated blood loss, and no blood transfusion requirements. The timing of surgery at 6 to 12 months was found to be the optimal balance in preventing deterioration in neurodevelopment and allowing favorable cranial growth and morphology. CONCLUSIONS The current evidence is difficult to navigate because of deformational plagiocephaly being misdiagnosed as unilateral lambdoid synostosis. Despite this, we present the only systematic review of all truly identifiable cases of unilateral lambdoid synostosis. Long-term quantitative studies are required to assess the benefits of the various surgical procedures.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006965 Hyperplasia An increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ without tumor formation. It differs from HYPERTROPHY, which is an increase in bulk without an increase in the number of cells. Hyperplasias
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D003398 Craniosynostoses Premature closure of one or more CRANIAL SUTURES. It often results in plagiocephaly. Craniosynostoses that involve multiple sutures are sometimes associated with congenital syndromes such as ACROCEPHALOSYNDACTYLIA; and CRANIOFACIAL DYSOSTOSIS. Acrocephaly,Oxycephaly,Brachycephaly,Craniostenosis,Craniosynostosis,Craniosynostosis, Lambdoidal,Craniosynostosis, Type 1,Lambdoid Synostosis,Metopic Synostosis,Plagiocephaly, Craniosynostosis,Plagiocephaly, Synostotic,Sagittal Synostosis,Scaphocephaly,Synostotic Anterior Plagiocephaly,Synostotic Posterior Plagiocephaly,Trigonocephaly,Unilateral Coronal Synostosis,1 Craniosynostoses, Type,1 Craniosynostosis, Type,Anterior Plagiocephaly, Synostotic,Coronal Synostoses, Unilateral,Coronal Synostosis, Unilateral,Craniostenoses,Craniosynostose,Craniosynostoses, Lambdoidal,Craniosynostoses, Type 1,Craniosynostosis Plagiocephaly,Lambdoid Synostoses,Lambdoidal Craniosynostoses,Lambdoidal Craniosynostosis,Metopic Synostoses,Plagiocephaly, Synostotic Anterior,Plagiocephaly, Synostotic Posterior,Posterior Plagiocephaly, Synostotic,Sagittal Synostoses,Synostoses, Lambdoid,Synostoses, Metopic,Synostoses, Sagittal,Synostoses, Unilateral Coronal,Synostosis, Lambdoid,Synostosis, Metopic,Synostosis, Sagittal,Synostosis, Unilateral Coronal,Synostotic Plagiocephaly,Type 1 Craniosynostoses,Type 1 Craniosynostosis,Unilateral Coronal Synostoses
D003399 Craniotomy Surgical incision into the cranium. Craniectomy,Craniectomies,Craniotomies
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005145 Face The anterior portion of the head that includes the skin, muscles, and structures of the forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, and jaw. Faces
D005146 Facial Asymmetry Congenital or acquired asymmetry of the face. Asymmetries, Facial,Asymmetry, Facial,Facial Asymmetries
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000886 Anthropometry The technique that deals with the measurement of the size, weight, and proportions of the human or other primate body.
D012886 Skull The SKELETON of the HEAD including the FACIAL BONES and the bones enclosing the BRAIN. Calvaria,Cranium,Calvarium,Skulls

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