Paediatric healthcare in the UAE achieved a major milestone with the first successful endoscopic-assisted, minimally invasive surgery for an abnormal skull growth case in a young child.

The landmark craniosynostosis surgery was performed on a 3-month-old child from Brazil born with an abnormally shaped head at NMC Royal Hospital by consultant neurosurgeon Dr C V Gopalakrishnan.

It wasn't just the oddly shaped skull, but also the presence of a fibrous connective tissue joint between the two parietal bones of the skull - known as sagittal suture - that required surgery.

Craniosynostosis (from cranio, cranium; + syn, together; + ostosis relating to bone) is a birth defect which causes premature fusion of one or more of the fibrous sutures, changing the growth pattern of the skull. It occurs before the infant's brain fully forms, and unable to expand perpendicularly, the skull compensates by growing more in the direction parallel to the closed sutures, often resulting in an abnormally shaped head and sometimes, even facial features.

"This can lead to two problems: firstly, it can be cosmetic and secondly, if unchecked it can later lead to cognitive problems affecting the child's intellect as the brain is unable to develop normally," Dr Gopalakrishnan told Khaleej Times.

Craniosynostosis can be diagnosed with a simple clinical examination, with a further 3D CT scan only for atypical findings and to assist in surgery planning.

Source: Khaleej Times