Brachycephaly
Brachycephaly
Brachycephaly (pronounced: brak-ee-SEF-uh-lee) is a medical condition characterized by a broad, short skull. The term is derived from the Greek words "brachys" meaning short and "kephale" meaning head.
Definition
Brachycephaly is a type of craniosynostosis, a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant's skull prematurely fuses by turning into bone (ossification). In the case of brachycephaly, this premature fusion occurs in the coronal suture, causing a shortened front-to-back diameter of the skull.
Symptoms
The most noticeable symptom of brachycephaly is a flattened back of the head. Other symptoms may include a high forehead, decreased cranial volume, and possible developmental delays due to the restriction of the brain's growth.
Causes
Brachycephaly can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetic disorders such as Crouzon syndrome and Apert syndrome, as well as environmental factors like prolonged pressure on the back of the head in infancy.
Treatment
Treatment for brachycephaly typically involves surgery to correct the shape of the skull and allow for normal brain growth. Non-surgical treatments, such as helmet therapy, may also be used in less severe cases.
See Also
References
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Brachycephaly
- Wikipedia's article - Brachycephaly
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski