Evaluation of findings in Crouzon's syndrome

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ocular, facial and radiological signs of Crouzon's syndrome in a group of older patients who had not undergone previous craniofacial surgery. METHODS. Six cases of Crouzon's syndrome, four of whom belonged to a three-generation family, were examined systemically, ophthalmologically and roentgenographically; five of these cases were additionally evaluated with computed tomography and compared with Apert syndrome. RESULTS. On radiologic evaluation, all cases had synostosis of all cranial sutures and fontanelles and brachycephalic skulls, crowding of the upper teeth due to maxillary hypoplasia, and serious nasal septum deviation. Bilateral ethmoidal, maxillary and sphenoidal chronic sinusitis was found in 50% of cases. Three patients had hypertelorism and two others had a tendency toward hypertelorism. The typical facial appearance with shallow orbits, globe protrusion and exorbitism was present in all cases. Two of them had V-pattern exotropia while the other four were orthophoric. The single case with mental retardation had bilateral cataract. CONCLUSION. Crouzon's syndrome can present with different findings and must be evaluated multidisciplinarly.