Where Are We Headed? Diagnosing Abnormal Head Shapes Through Virtual Care Visits

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Telemedicine
• Craniofacial Abnormalities

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual care visits (VCVs) for various medical conditions.
• Telemedicine offers benefits like efficient triaging and resource conservation.
• Limited research exists on VCV effectiveness for pediatric craniosynostosis and deformational plagiocephaly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy of VCVs in diagnosing pediatric craniosynostosis and deformational plagiocephaly.
• To determine if VCVs can guide treatment decisions, including helmet correction or surgery.
• To evaluate the feasibility of VCVs for managing abnormal head shapes in children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart analysis of pediatric patients (<18 years) undergoing VCVs for abnormal head shape (March-June 2020).
• Evaluation by a specialized craniofacial team.
• Data extraction from Electronic Medical Records, including demographics, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations.

Main Results:

• 35 patients analyzed: 11 (31.43%) craniosynostosis, 22 (62.86%) deformational plagiocephaly, 2 (5.71%) normocephalic.
• 100% of craniosynostosis cases were referred for surgery post-CT confirmation.
• 81.82% of deformational plagiocephaly cases recommended conservative treatment; 18.18% recommended helmet therapy.
• 2 cases required in-person visits for diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• VCVs are a feasible and safe modality for evaluating the majority of pediatric patients with abnormal head shapes.
• High diagnostic accuracy was observed, with only a small percentage needing further in-person assessment.
• VCVs can effectively inform treatment plans for craniosynostosis and deformational plagiocephaly, supporting expanded use in craniofacial care.