Description of a dry skull with Crouzon syndrome

A dry skull from a young adult subject showing the stigmata of Crouzon syndrome was described. All calvarial sutures were prematurely fused. The calvaria was high and pointed in the region of the anterior fontanelle. The cranial base revealed premature fusion of all sutures and of the spheno-petrosal and petro-occipital synchondroses. Furthermore, the internal cranial base showed a number of abnormal morphological traits, especially in the region of the sella turcica. The optic foramina were compressed vertically. Most sutures in the bony orbit were prematurely fused. The orbital cavities were short and their axes deviated laterally. The interorbital distance was increased. Nearly all maxillary sutures were fused and the maxilla was short and narrow, whereas the mandible showed no marked deviations. The molar occlusion was mesial and there was mandibular overjet and bilateral crossbite. The findings were discussed and it was suggested that the involvement of fibrous cartilage may be one of the factors distinguishing the complex forms of craniosynostosis from the simple.