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Correction of deformational plagiocephaly in early infancy using the plagio cradle orthotic
Mitchel Seruya1, Albert K Oh, Tina M Sauerhammer
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Children's National Medical Center and George Washington School of Medicine, Washington, District of Columbia 20010, USA.
Insights
Early intervention with the Plagio Cradle effectively treats deformational plagiocephaly in infants. Treatment initiated before 10 weeks of age yields superior outcomes for cranial symmetry.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Cranial orthotics
- Infant development
Background:
- Deformational plagiocephaly is a common condition in infants.
- Early intervention is crucial for effective treatment.
- The Plagio Cradle is a modifiable cranial orthotic used for treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of early treatment for deformational plagiocephaly using the Plagio Cradle.
- To compare treatment outcomes based on the age of initiation.
Main Methods:
- Infants with deformational plagiocephaly treated with the Plagio Cradle before 4 months of age were included.
- Patients were stratified into two groups: treatment initiated before 10 weeks (Group 1) and between 10-20 weeks (Group 2).
- Calvarial asymmetry was measured using direct anthropometry as transcranial difference (TCD), with a target of 5 mm or less.
Main Results:
- Group 1 (early intervention) had a significantly higher initial TCD and longer duration of therapy compared to Group 2.
- Group 1 demonstrated a significantly greater change in TCD and trended toward greater calvarial symmetry post-treatment.
- A higher frequency of full correction was observed in Group 1 (62.4%) compared to Group 2 (52.2%).
Conclusions:
- The Plagio Cradle is effective in fully correcting deformational plagiocephaly.
- Initiating Plagio Cradle treatment before 10 weeks of age leads to more effective outcomes.
Background:
The purpose of this study was to assess early treatment of deformational plagiocephaly using the Plagio Cradle, a modifiable cranial orthotic.
Methods:
Infants were included if they had treatment of deformational plagiocephaly with the Plagio Cradle beginning at 4 months or younger. Patients were prospectively stratified by the age treatment was initiated: group 1: under 10 weeks (n = 50); group 2: 10 to 20 weeks (n = 113). Pretreatment and posttreatment calvarial asymmetry was measured using direct anthropometry and reported as a transcranial difference (TCD). The end point for therapy was a TCD of 5 mm or less, falling within 2 SDs of published normative data.
Results:
One hundred sixty-three infants were included. Initial TCD was significantly higher for group 1 as compared with group 2 (initial TCD: 11.0 vs 9.0 mm; P < 0.05). Duration of therapy was significantly longer for group 1 as compared with group 2 (6.9 vs 5.7 week; P < 0.05). Following cradle use, group 1 infants demonstrated a significantly larger change in TCD in comparison to group 2 (change in TCD: 6.0 vs 4.0 mm; P < 0.001). At the conclusion of therapy, group 1 infants trended toward greater calvarial symmetry than group 2 patients (final TCD: 4.5 vs 5.0 mm; P = 0.06) and a higher frequency of cases with full correction of asymmetry (62.4% vs 52.2%; P = 0.16).
Conclusions:
The Plagio Cradle can fully correct deformational plagiocephaly early in life. Nevertheless, treatment is more effective if initiated before 10 weeks of age.
