Abstract

ASSENCIO-FERREIRA, Vicente José; ABRAHAM, Ronaldo; VEIGA, José Carlos Esteves  and  SANTOS, Kécia Cristina dos. Metopic suture craniosynostosis: sodium valproate teratogenic effect. Case report. Arq. Neuro-Psiquiatr. [online]. 2001, vol.59, n.2B, pp. 417-420. ISSN 0004-282X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0004-282X2001000300020.

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this report is to warn that sodium valproate used during pregnancy can produce craniosynostosis in the newborn, particularly trigonocephaly. METHOD: we describe a case of trigonocephaly in a six month-old girl, daughter of a young non-smoker couple, whose mother had used phenobarbital 100 mg daily and sodium valproate 500 mg twice daily during the whole pregnancy. We also review current literature about this topic. RESULT: bone sclerosis over the metopic suture was confirmed during surgery. Bibliographical review yields previous reports on valproate teratogenicity, mainly determining metopic suture craniosynostosis. CONCLUSION: sodium valproate used during pregnancy can produce craniosynostosis by teratogenic effect, specially trigonocephaly (premature fusion of metopic suture).

Keywords : valproic acid; teratogenic effect; craniosynostoses; metopic suture.