Sutures - ridged

Alternative names:

ridged sutures

Definition:

A suture line between two bony plates of the skull that closes prematurely and forms a linear ridge along the length of the suture.

Considerations:

The skull of a young infant and young child is made up of bony plates that allow for growth of the skull. The borders along which these plates intersect are called sutures or suture lines. In an infant only a few minutes old, the pressure from delivery compresses the head, making the bony plates overlap at the sutures and creating a small ridge. This is a normal finding of newborns. In the next few days the head expands, the overlapping disappears, and the edges of the bony plates meet edge to edge. This is the normal position.

Ridging of the suture line occurs when the bony plates fuse together prematurely. When this happens, growth along that particular suture line ceases. Premature closure generally leads to an unusually shaped skull. Premature closure of the sagittal suture (along the sides of the head) produces a long narrow head and is seldom associated with any neurological deficits. Premature closure of the coronal suture (across the top of the head leads to a short, wide head and is more often associated with neurological problems.

Common causes:

• congenital craniosynostosis
• Crouzon's syndrome (craniofacial dysostosis)
• Apert's syndrome (acrocephalosyndactyly)
• Carpenter's syndrome (acrocephalopolysyndactyly)
• Pfeiffer syndrome

Note: There may be other causes of ridged sutures. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include unlikely diseases and medications. Use the Symptom Analysis option to explore the possible explanations for ridged sutures, occurring alone or in combination with other problems.