A series of 50 consecutive children with premature sagittal synostosis is reported. All were treated surgically; 43 were male, 47 were leukodermic and two are siblings. In the pre-operative examination, the head shape, skull measurements and radiologic findings were evaluated; 38 children were operated on before six months of age and 12 of them, between six and 12 months of age. The surgical technique used was a wide biparietal craniectomy. Blood transfusions were occasional, being necessary for only six (12%) children. The children were admitted at the day of surgery and discharged between the second and the third post-operative day. No local or general complications were observed and no one died. The aesthetic result was considered good. The altered skull measurements before surgery reached normalization as far as the end of the first year after the treatment. It may be concluded that wide biparietal craniectomy is a procedure of great effectiveness in the treatment of the premature fusion of the sagittal suture.
craniosynostosis; sagittal suture