ABSTRACT
O número de deformidades cranianas tem aumentado desde que tiveram início os esforços internacionais dos pediatras, com a recomendação de se colocar os filhos para dormirem na posição supina, como estratégia para reduzir a morte súbita do recém-nascido. Se, por um lado, esse programa conseguiu demonstrar resultados muito eficientes nessa redução, por outro, tal recomendação fez com que os casos de assimetrias cranianas aumentassem em incidência. Isso porque os lactentes são mantidos por muito tempo em um só posicionamento, pois há também o uso abusivo de dispositivos como carrinho, bebê-conforto, cadeirinha de carro, balancinho, entre outros. Entre as assimetrias resultantes, as mais encontradas são a plagiocefalia (o crânio em forma de um paralelograma com achatamento occipital e anterior contralateral) e a braquicefalia (o achatamento occipital bilateral). Esse estudo relatou o caso de paciente com uma braquicefalia associada à plagiocefalia deformacionais tratado com órtese craniana. O paciente foi avaliado antes e após o tratamento clinicamente pelo mesmo médico, por meio de registro fotográfico e de um escaneamento a laser, que permite aferir variáveis determinantes das assimetrias. Foi possível, durante o período de tratamento, observar que houve importante melhora na simetria craniana documentada pela diminuição do índice cefálico, diminuição da diferença diagonal e ganho de volume no quadrante que se encontrava mais achatado. Conclui-se que a terapia ortótica constitui modalidade terapêutica segura e eficaz disponível para o tratamento das assimetrias cranianas posicionais.
The number of cranial deformities has increased considerably since international efforts of pediatricians to recommend parents putting their babies to sleep in the supine position as a strategy to reduce sudden death syndrome of the newborn. On the one hand, this program has demonstrated very efficient results at reducing deaths and, on the other hand, such recommendation has increased the incidence of cranial asymmetries. In addition, infants are kept too long in one position, much of this due to abusive use of strollers, baby carriers, car seats, swings and other devices. Among resulting asymmetries, the most frequently found are plagiocephaly (parallelogram shaped skull, with posterior unilateral flattening with the opposite frontal area also flattened) and brachycephaly (occipital bilateral flattening). The present study is a case report of a patient with brachycephaly associated with deformational plagiocephaly treated with cranial orthosis. The same physician clinically evaluated the patient before and after treatment using photographic recording and a laser scanning device, which allows the accurate measurement of variables determining asymmetries. It became clear during treatment that there was significant improvement in cranial symmetry documented by decrease in the cephalic index, diagonal difference and volume gain in the quadrant that was flattened. The authors conclude that orthotic therapy is a safe and effective therapeutic modality for position cranial asymmetries.
Subject(s)
Skull/abnormalities , Plagiocephaly, Nonsynostotic , Sudden Infant DeathABSTRACT
Objective Congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) and developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) are common congenital problems in infants. Association between CMT and DDH has been reported in literatures. The aim of this study was to assess coexistence of DDH in infants with CMT and curative effects of its rehabilitative therapy. Methods In total, 187 infants less than two months old with CMT were recruited in the study. DDH was diagnosed and graded by Graf's bilateral hip type B ultrasonography and pelvic X-ray films. Massage manipulation, magnetic strapping, postural orthosis at home and heat compress were instituted for CMT and frog spica device and hip-flexion abduction plaster immobilization were instituted for DDH. Their early rehabilitative effects were evaluated. Results DDH was coexisted in 24 of 187 infants with CMT, with incidence of 12. 8%. The hips of 22 infants were graded as type Ⅱ b (91.7%) and two as type Ⅲ a (8.3%), and eight at the left side and seven at the right side.Comorbid hips completely recovered normal with early frog spica device and hip-flexion abduction therapy in 24 infants. Conclusions Coexistence of CMT and DDH are relatively common in infants. Type B ultrasonography can be used as a measure for screening DDH in neonates with CMT. Early rehabilitative therapy is effective for those coexisted with DDH and CMT at the same time.