Craniosynostosis: surgical treatment during the first year of life.

Out of 276 children with craniosynostosis operated on in a 9 year period, 231 were operated on under 1 year of age. According to the sutures involved in the process of early fusion, two groups of infants were individuated. Patients belonging to the first group were characterized by the involvement of the sagittal suture, while infants of group II presented with a synostosis of the anterior or posterior sutural complex. Two different techniques were required for the 2 groups of subjects, the first of them being mainly based on linear craniectomies, the second requiring more complex reconstructive surgical procedures. The morbidity, mortality and recurrence rates of the series were low, demonstrating that infants can tolerate the procedure as well as older children. The advantage of the early treatment consists of a better cosmetic result with a more physiological growth of faciocranial skeleton.