Treatment of cloverleaf skull syndrome

Up to a few years ago, patients with cloverleaf skull deformity underwent partial surgery to relieve intracranial hypertension with poor functional and aesthetic results, often leading to relapses and reoperations, both in our own experience and in that of other authors. As of 1990, however, we started to use the technique described by Persing et al. to resolve the complex cloverleaf malformation in a single definitive procedure. Five patients, whose ages ranged from 2 months to 5 years, achieved satisfactory results both as regards relief from intracranial hypertension and preservation of visual acuity, and from the aesthetic viewpoint. Surgical approaches and their modifications are described.