Visual surveillance in craniosynostoses

Prevalence and Clinical Associations of Peripapillary Hyperreflective Ovoid Mass-like Structures in Craniosynostosis

BACKGROUND

Patients with craniosynostosis are at high risk of developing elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) causing papilledema and secondary optic atrophy. Diagnosing and monitoring optic neuropathy is challenging because of multiple causes of vision loss including exposure keratopathy, amblyopia, and cognitive delays that limit examination. Peripapillary hyperreflective ovoid mass-like structures (PHOMS) are an optical coherence tomography (OCT) finding reported in association with papilledema and optic neuropathy. We investigated the prevalence of PHOMS in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis and the relationship with known risk factors of optic neuropathy.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional retrospective study was performed at Boston Children's Hospital and included 118 eyes (60 patients) with syndromic craniosynostosis that had at least one good quality optic nerve OCT volumetry scan between January 2010 and December 2023. Testing was reviewed by 2 neuro-ophthalmologists to determine the presence of PHOMS. Information collected included demographics, and clinical course including possible Chiari malformation, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), history of elevated ICP, best-corrected visual acuity (VA), spherical equivalent (SE), retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, macular ganglion cell layer volume, and funduscopic examination. Our primary outcome measure was presence of PHOMS, and secondary outcome measure was the relationship between clinical characteristics and the presence of PHOMS.

RESULTS

Mean age at imaged OCT was 9.8 ± 5.2 years and 41/60 (68.3%) patients were female. The prevalence of PHOMS was 17/60 patients (28.3%) or 26/118 eyes (22.0%), higher than previously reported in children without craniosynostosis (P < 0.001). PHOMS were significantly associated with a history of elevated ICP (odds ratio [OR] 14.4, 95% CI: 1.9-111.0, P < 0.001) and with concurrent papilledema (OR 40.4, 95% CI: 6.6-248.0, P < 0.001). OSA, Chiari malformation, best-corrected VA, craniosynostosis variant, and SE were not independently associated with PHOMS.

CONCLUSIONS

Eyes in children with craniosynostosis had a higher prevalence of PHOMS than reported in children without craniosynostosis. PHOMS were significantly more common with a history of elevated ICP and with concurrent papilledema. PHOMS may serve as a clinically useful indicator of optic neuropathy, and of recurrence of papilledema in patients with craniosynostosis and in other populations characterized by multiple sources of vision loss and cognitive changes that limit evaluation.

Utility of Papilledema for Detection of Elevated Intracranial Pressure in Craniosynostosis

Papilledema is swelling of the optic disk due to fluid accumulation around the optic nerve and is commonly used to detect increased intracranial (ICP) in craniosynostosis. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and utility of papilledema detection in patients with single-suture, multi-suture, and syndromic craniosynostosis and the differences before and after surgical intervention. A retrospective review of ophthalmology examinations of patients diagnosed with craniosynostosis treated between 2008 and 2023 was performed. Demographics, diagnosis, and operative data were collected. A total of 1509 ophthalmology exams of 519 patients were reviewed. The overall rate of papilledema in patients with craniosynostosis was 2.12%. The single-suture and multi-suture involvement rates were 1.15% and 5.81%, respectively. Non-syndromic patients with preoperative and postoperative examinations had an overall rate of 3.13%. Most had single suture involvement, and the average age of papilledema examination was 72 months. Syndromic patients with preoperative and postoperative examinations had an overall rate of 17.65%. The majority had multiple suture involvement, and the average age of papilledema examination was 26 months. The overall papilledema detection rate was low in patients with craniosynostosis. Multi-suture involvement and syndromic diagnosis had increased rates of papilledema. The average age of diagnosis was in older children. Syndromic patients had papilledema examination at a younger age. The authors' findings support the concept that fundoscopic ophthalmologic examination will benefit patients with multi-suture involvement, an associated syndrome, and older age.

Anomalies of the Mesenchyme (Meninges and Skull)—Defects of Neural Tube Closure: Cephalocele and Other Calvarial and Skull Base Defects; Intracranial Lipomas; Arachnoid Cysts; Nonsyndromic and Syndromic Craniosynostoses

Within the embryonic head, a layer of mesenchyme envelops the brain beneath the surface ectoderm. This cranial mesenchyme is responsible for the formation of the meninges, the calvaria (upper portion of the skull), and the scalp's dermis. Irregular development of these structures, particularly the meninges and the calvaria, is associated with notable congenital defects in humans, such as defects in neural tube closure. Anencephaly is the most common neural tube defect (NTD) and one of the most severe malformations of the central nervous system; it consists in the complete or partial absence of the brain, associated with the absence of the bones of the cranial vault. Iniencephaly is an uncommon congenital NTD characterized by abnormalities in the occipital region, including rachischisis of the cervicothoracic spine and a fixed retroflexion deformity of the head. Unlike anencephaly, in iniencephaly, there is a skull cavity and a normal-looking skin that entirely covers the head and the medullary retroflex area. Cephaloceles are congenital abnormalities distinguished by the protrusion of meninges and/or brain tissue through a naturally occurring defect in the skull bone. This anomaly is typically covered by skin or mucous membrane. Intracranial lipoma is a relatively uncommon and generally benign tumor that occurs in an abnormal location within the brain; it probably represents a disturbance of the differentiation of the primordial meninges: for unknown causes, the meningeal mesenchyme can differentiate into adipose tissue. Arachnoid cysts are sacs filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) situated between the brain or spinal cord and the arachnoid membrane. Typically, these cysts originate within CSF cisterns and gradually expand their boundaries. Craniosynostosis is the early fusion of one or more cranial sutures. It can occur spontaneously, be associated with a syndrome, or have a familial connection. It can involve one or multiple cranial sutures. Pfeiffer's, Crouzon's, and Apert's syndromes are among the more prevalent syndromic craniosynostoses.

Sensitivity, Specificity, and Cutoff Identifying Optic Atrophy by Macular Ganglion Cell Layer Volume in Syndromic Craniosynostosis

PURPOSE

To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff of macular ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume consistent with optic atrophy in children with syndromic craniosynostosis and to investigate factors independently associated with reduction in GCL volume.

DESIGN

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with syndromic craniosynostosis evaluated at Boston Children's Hospital (2010-2022) with reliable macular OCT scans.

METHODS

The latest ophthalmic examination that included OCT macula scans was identified. Age at examination, sex, ethnicity, best-corrected logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, and funduscopic optic nerve appearance were recorded in addition to history of primary or recurrent elevation in intracranial pressure (ICP), Chiari malformation, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Spectral-domain OCT software quantified segmentation of macula retinal layers and was checked manually.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was determining sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff of GCL volume consistent with optic atrophy. The secondary outcome was determining whether previously elevated ICP, OSA, Chiari malformation, craniosynostosis diagnosis, logMAR visual acuity, age, or sex were independently associated with lower GCL volume.

RESULTS

Median age at examination was 11.9 years (interquartile range, 8.5-14.8 years). Fifty-eight of 61 patients (112 eyes) had reliable macula scans, 74% were female, and syndromes represented were Apert (n = 14), Crouzon (n = 17), Muenke (n = 6), Pfeiffer (n = 6), and Saethre-Chotzen (n = 15). Optimal cutoff identifying optic atrophy was a GCL volume < 1.02 mm3 with a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 77%. Univariate analysis demonstrated that significantly lower macular GCL volume was associated with optic atrophy on fundus examination (P < 0.001), Apert syndrome (P < 0.001), history of elevated ICP (P = 0.015), Chiari malformation (P = 0.001), OSA (P < 0.001), male sex (P = 0.027), and worse logMAR visual acuity (P < 0.001). Multivariable median regression analysis confirmed that only OSA (P = 0.005), optic atrophy on fundus examination (P = 0.003), and worse logMAR visual acuity (P = 0.042) were independently associated with lower GCL volume.

CONCLUSIONS

Surveillance for optic atrophy by GCL volume may be useful in a population where cognitive skills can limit acquisition of other key ophthalmic measures. It is noteworthy that OSA is also associated with lower GLC volume in this population.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Optic Nerve Atrophy in Syndromic Craniosynostosis

BACKGROUND

Numerous children born with syndromic craniosynostosis will develop visual impairments. Based on the hypothesis that elevations in intracranial pressure might have greater impacts on vision than development, this review sought to ascertain the prevalence of optic nerve atrophy in syndromic craniosynostosis and to look for potential predictive factors.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of all children with syndromic craniosynostosis treated at a single center.

RESULTS

Of 442 patients with syndromic craniosynostosis, complete ophthalmologic records were available for 253. Although no instances of optic nerve atrophy were noted among those with Saethre-Chotzen or Muenke syndromes, an overall 14.7% prevalence was noted among those with Apert (7.8%), Crouzon (27.9%), and Pfeiffer syndromes (23.1%), with initial diagnoses occurring at a mean age of 10 years. The presence of a Chiari malformation was found to significantly correlate with the subsequent diagnosis of optic nerve atrophy (Odds ratio 3.544, p = 0.002); however, the timing of the first cranial vault procedure, presence of a venticuloperitoneal shunt, degree of brachycephaly, number of vault expansions, and diagnosis of sleep apnea, did not show significant associations.

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial percentage of children with Apert, Crouzon, and Pfeiffer syndrome were found to develop optic nerve atrophy, with a prevalence likely to trend higher with longer follow up. Chiari malformations were the only significant potential predictor for optic nerve atrophy. With the goal of preventing visual losses, more frequent monitoring for raised intracranial pressure with ophthalmologic evaluations and MRI measurements of optic nerve sheath diameters should be considered.

Fronto-orbital advancement in a patient with Marshall-Smith syndrome: a case report and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

The present report aimed to document the clinical features of a case of Marshall-Smith syndrome (MSS), an extremely rare embryonic developmental disorder with associated craniosynostosis.

PATIENT AND METHOD

We presented herein a case of a 2-year-old female patient with MSS who underwent fronto-orbital advancement for multisuture craniosynostosis.

RESULTS

The patient's proptosis improved after surgery, and no further surgical intervention was required for corneal exposure. A second FOA followed by revision tarsorrhaphy further improved eye closure.

CONCLUSION

Surgical procedures to correct dysplastic features and limit neurological impairment are a worthwhile supportive treatment for improving the quality of life and general condition of patients with MSS.

Ophthalmological outcomes of unilateral coronal synostosis in young children

BACKGROUND

To report refractive outcomes, describe types of strabismus and evaluate the outcomes of surgical intervention for unilateral coronal synostosis (UCS) in paediatric patients.

METHODS

This study retrospectively included 30 UCS cases. Patients aged from 3 months to 6 years (median: 1.8 years) were enrolled from January 2018 to December 2019 at Shanghai Children's Hospital. Sixteen patients had all types of strabismus; 15 of these patients underwent surgery.

RESULTS

Refractive errors of 30 cases were included. In 60% of patients, astigmatism of 1.00D or more existed in not less than one eye at last record. Twenty (66.7%) patients had the larger amount of astigmatism in the contralateral eye. Fifteen patients received strabismus surgery, of whom 6 patients with monocular elevation deficiency (MED) underwent the standard Knapp procedure, with or without a horizontal deviation procedure. Fifteen cases were horizontally aligned within 5 prism dioptres (Δ). Six patients with MED (100%) had attained ≥25% elevation improvement after surgery, and the vertical deviation decreased from 25.83 Δ ± 4.92 Δ (range, 20 Δ-30 Δ) to 0.83 Δ ± 4.92 Δ after surgery (range, 0 Δ-10 Δ), for an improvement of 26.67 Δ ± 4.08 Δ (t = 16 P < 0.05). In 1 patient with esotropia, the horizontal deviation decreased from + 80 Δ to + 5 Δ after surgery. One patient was diagnosed with trichiasis and one with contralateral lacrimal duct obstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

Contralateral MED was also the main type of strabismus in UCS. Superior oblique muscle palsy was still the most common, as previously reported. There is a risk of developing a higher astigmatism and anisometropia in the contralateral eye to synostosis. Other ophthalmic disorders should be treated in a timely manner.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Shanghai Children's Hospital (approval No. 2020R023-E01) and adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethics approval was procured on March 30, 2020. This was a retrospective study. Written informed consent was sought from the patients' parents or legal guardians. Clinical Trials Registry number: ChiCTR2000034910 . Registration URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=56726 .

Serial Visual Evoked Potentials in Patients with Craniosynostosis and Invasive Intracranial Pressure Monitoring

This study aimed to detect the ability of pattern visual evoked potentials to detect visual pathway dysfunction in a cohort of patients with craniosynostosis who also had invasive intracranial pressure measurement. A retrospective review was conducted on craniosynostosis patients who had invasive intracranial pressure measurement and at least one pattern visual evoked potentials test. Reversal pattern visual evoked potentials were performed with both eyes open. Thirteen patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age at intracranial pressure measurement, 5.7 years). Seven patients had raised intracranial pressure, and of these, five (71.4 percent) had abnormal or deteriorated pattern visual evoked potentials parameters on serial testing, whereas all patients (100 percent) with normal intracranial pressure had normal pattern visual evoked potentials amplitude and latency. Four of the five patients (80 percent) with raised intracranial pressure and abnormal pattern visual evoked potentials did not show evidence of papilledema. The mean latency in patients with raised intracranial pressure (118.7 msec) was longer than in those with normal intracranial pressure (108.1 msec), although it did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.09), whereas the mean amplitude in patients with raised intracranial pressure (12.4 µV) was significantly lower than in patients with normal intracranial pressure (23.3 µV) (p = 0.03). The authors' results showed that serial pattern visual evoked potentials testing was able to detect visual pathway dysfunction resulting from raised intracranial pressure in five of seven craniosynostosis patients, and of these five patients, 80 percent had no evidence of papilledema, demonstrating the utility of serial pattern visual evoked potentials in follow-up of the visual function in craniosynostosis patients. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Diagnostic, II.

Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Optic Nerve Function in Patients With Craniosynostosis and Recurrent Intracranial Hypertension

PURPOSE

Assessment of combined impact of intracranial hypertension (ICH) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on optic nerve function in children with craniosynostosis (CS).

DESIGN

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Patients treated at Boston Children's Hospital for CS who had an ophthalmic examination that included pattern reversal (pr)VEP (2013-2014) and history of ICH based on direct measurement, papilledema, or classic features on neuroimaging and during cranial vault expansion were included. History of OSA was determined by polysomnography and associated conditions, including apnea and (adeno)tonsillectomy. Subjects were divided into 4 groups: group 1, resolved ICH absent history of OSA; group 2, resolved ICH with history of OSA; group 3, recurrent ICH absent history of OSA; and group 4, recurrent ICH with history of OSA. Predictor variables included latency of P100 component of pattern-reversal visual evoked potential, best-corrected visual acuity, optic nerve appearance, visual fields, and global retinal nerve fiber layer. Primary outcome was association of prolonged P100 latency with resolved vs recurrent ICH and OSA.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight children met inclusion criteria (mean age 11.6 ± 6.9 years): group 1 (n = 3), group 2 (n = 6), group 3 (n = 8), and group 4 (n = 11). P100 latencies were not prolonged in groups 1 and 2. Three of 8 in group 3 and 9 of 11 in group 4 had prolonged P100 latency. Group 4 was significantly worse than group 3 (P = .005).

CONCLUSIONS

History of OSA, in addition to recurrent ICH, is associated with greatest risk of optic neuropathy with CS. Ophthalmologists should encourage early management of OSA as well as ICH to optimize ophthalmic outcomes.

Ophthalmological management in craniosynostosis

INTRODUCTION

In published series, a large proportion of patients with craniosynostosis show impaired vision.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature review was performed, using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases, to identify original and review articles on the consequences of craniosynostosis on the eyes and visual pathways, and on the ophthalmological management of craniosynostosis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Many ophthalmic, potentially sight-threatening, complications, can occur in patients with craniosynostosis, especially when syndromic. Optic neuropathy, mostly resulting from the papilledema-optic atrophy sequence, secondary to raised intracranial pressure (ICP), should be diagnosed early, in order to promptly lower the ICP. Cyclovertical and horizontal strabismus and refractive errors are frequent in unicoronal synostosis (anterior plagiocephaly) and syndromic craniosynostosis. Exorbitism, encountered in some cases of syndromic craniofacial synostosis, leads to exposure keratopathy, which requires aggressive management to avoid severe irremediable corneal complications. Amblyopia can result from optic neuropathy, corneal opacities, strabismus, or refractive errors. If undiagnosed and untreated at a young age, it results in permanent visual impairment.

CONCLUSION

Children with craniosynostosis require a multidisciplinary care network including a pediatric ophthalmologist. Systematic ophthalmological follow-up enables papilledema to be diagnosed and amblyopia to be diagnosed and treated, in order to avoid visual impairment.

Serial, Visually-Evoked Potentials for the Assessment of Visual Function in Patients with Craniosynostosis

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of craniofacial surgical intervention on the visual pathway's function by comparing pre- to post-operative patterned, visually-evoked potentials (pVEP). A retrospective review was conducted on craniosynostosis patients who had pre- and post-craniofacial surgery pVEP testing. The pVEP measured grade in terms of amplitude latency and morphology of the waveforms. The pre- and post-operative results were compared. The study identified 63 patients (mean age at preoperative pVEP of 16.9 months). Preoperatively, 33 patients (52.4%) had abnormal pVEP. Nine patients had evidence of intracranial hypertension, and of those, eight (88.9%) had abnormal pVEP. Within 6 months postoperatively, 24 of 33 patients (72.7%) with abnormal preoperative pVEP developed normal postoperative pVEP, while all 30 patients with normal preoperative VEP maintained their normal results postoperatively. Significant improvements in pVEP latency in patients with broad or delayed latency waveforms was evident for subjects with preoperative grades 2-4 (grade 2, p = 0.015; grade 3, p = 0.029; grade 4; p = 0.007), while significant postoperative increase in amplitude was significant for patients with abnormally low amplitude grade 3 and 5 waveforms (grade 3, p = 0.011; grade 5, p = 0.029). Serial pVEP testing represents a useful tool for the early detection of visual pathway dysfunction and follow up visual pathway function in craniosynostosis. Surgical intervention for craniosynostosis can result in the reversal of preoperative pVEP abnormalities seen in these patients, resulting in the normalization of the pVEP waveform, amplitude and latency, depending on the preoperative pVEP abnormality.

Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors Among Families of Children With Craniofacial Conditions: Validation of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Craniofacial Version

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool-Craniofacial Version (PAT-CV), a screening instrument for psychosocial risk in families of children with craniofacial conditions, and to examine risk classification of patients in a craniofacial population.

DESIGN

Prospective, cross-sectional, single-center study.

SETTING

Interdisciplinary cleft lip and palate/craniofacial center at a US children's hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Parents/caregivers (n = 242) of 217 children ages 1 month to 17 years being treated for a congenital syndromic or nonsyndromic craniofacial condition completed the PAT-CV and validating measures from July 2015 to July 2016. The PAT-CV was completed by 121 caregivers a second time to assess test-retest reliability.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

PAT-CV, Child Behavior Checklist, Adult Self-Report, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Craniofacial Experiences Questionnaire, and Family Environment Scale.

RESULTS

Construct validity of the PAT-CV was supported by significant correlations ( P < .001) between PAT-CV total and subscale scores and the validated measures. PAT-CV total scores categorized 59.9% of families within the universal risk group, 32.3% within the targeted risk group, and 7.8% within the clinical range. Good criterion validity was indicated by significantly higher scores ( P < .0001) obtained on the validated measures for those in the targeted and clinical risk groups. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.86) and test-retest reliability for the PAT-CV total score ( r = 0.77, P < .0001) were acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

The PAT-CV appears to be a reliable and valid screening instrument for psychosocial risk. Accurate identification of risk and implementation of appropriate interventions may contribute to improvements in medical and psychosocial outcomes.