Frontofacial advancement in craniofacial dysostosis--report of 3 cases
Chen, Y.R.; Chang, C.N.; Cheng, W.S.; Wang, F.L.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association 85(3): 321-327
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0371-7682 PMID: 3462316 Document Number: 283948
Craniofacial dysostosis, such as Crouzon's or Apert's disease, is a combination of craniosynostosis, and midface hypoplasia with various degrees of exophthalmos or even exorbitism. Some of these patients have extropia or amblyopia and others have nasal obstruction and all of them have class III malocclusion. Tessier's craniofacial technique has tremendously contributed to the reconstruction of these craniofacial deformities by moving the forehead and maxilla forward. Recently, Anderl modified the technique by preserving the cranial base, which can prevent the direct communication between anterior cranial fossa and nasal cavity, thus decreasing the possibility of infection. We applied this technique on 3 Crouzon's patients in 1983 and 1984. They were 6,12 and 15 year old girls with severe exophthalmos and midface retrusion. One patient had exotropia, and another had nasal airway obstruction. After cranial base-preserving frontofacial advancement, the facial appearance was much improved. One patient had scalp wound delayed healing. Another one was complicated with CSF rhinorrhea which stopped after lumbar CSF drainage.