Published in:
01-10-2005 | Focus Session
Venous hypertension and craniosynostosis
Author:
R. Hayward
Published in:
Child's Nervous System
|
Issue 10/2005
Login to get access
Abstract
Introduction
This article addresses the relevance of venous hypertension to children born with, in particular, the “syndromic” forms of craniosynostosis. The development of the human cerebral venous system is summarised and the patterns of anomalous venous drainage seen in children with complex forms of craniosynostosis associated with raised intracranial pressure are described.
Aetiology
The aetiology of these abnormal patterns is discussed under the general headings of “The constriction theory”, “A primary role for FGFR mutations” and “Persistence of the foetal pattern of intracranial venous drainage.”Venous hypertension (along with hydrocephalus, cranio-cerebral disproportion and airway obstruction) has an important role in the aetiology of raised intracranial pressure in severely affected children.
Treatment
The inter-relationship between these factors is explained and then the treatment of those children whose raised intracranial pressure is considered to be due predominantly to venous hypertension is described.