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Positional plagiocephaly: experience with a passive orthotic mattress
Paul Sillifant1, Partha Vaiude, Sarah Bruce
1From the Departments of *Craniofacial Surgery and †Plastic Surgery, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Insights
Positional plagiocephaly, a common head shape deformity, showed significant improvement with a passive orthotic mattress. This treatment aims to normalize head shape by reducing pressure, aiding natural brain growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric orthopedics
- Craniofacial abnormalities
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Positional plagiocephaly is the most common head shape deformity in infants.
- Management strategies focus on relieving pressure to encourage normalization of head shape through brain growth.
- Current treatments include repositioning techniques and helmet orthotics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document head shape changes in infants with positional plagiocephaly using a passive orthotic mattress.
- To assess the efficacy of a passive orthotic mattress in managing positional plagiocephaly.
Main Methods:
- A series of 30 patients with positional plagiocephaly were treated with a passive orthotic mattress.
- Cranial vault asymmetry was assessed before treatment and classified as mild, moderate, or severe.
- Treatment occurred between April 2008 and June 2010 at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
Main Results:
- Follow-up assessments demonstrated a significant improvement in cranial vault asymmetry.
- The passive orthotic mattress was effective in improving head shape deformities.
Conclusions:
- Passive orthotic mattresses represent a viable treatment option for positional plagiocephaly.
- This intervention can lead to significant improvements in cranial vault asymmetry.
- Further research may explore long-term outcomes and comparisons with other treatment modalities.
Abstract:
Positional plagiocephaly (deformational or occipital plagiocephaly) is the most common head-shape deformity, which is presented to specialist craniofacial units. The aim of management is to reduce pressure on the affected area in the expectation that brain growth will drive normalization of the head shape. Current management includes a variety of protocols based on repositioning advice or helmet orthotics. The aim of this study is to document changes in head shape associated with use of a passive orthotic mattress for the management of positional plagiocephaly of a series of 30 patients at Alder Hey Children's Hospital between April 2008 and June 2010. Cranial vault asymmetry was assessed before treatment and was classified into mild, moderate, or severe plagiocephaly. Follow-up demonstrated a significant improvement in cranial vault asymmetry in those treated with the passive orthotic mattress.
