Fontanelles and Sutures Flashcards
1
Q
What are fontanelles? What is their benefit?
A
Fontanelles are flexible fibrous joints adjoining flat bones in a fetuses skull that allows for distortion during birth and brain growth
2
Q
anterior fontanelle shape? location? closure? suture site of?
A
- largest fontanelles
- diamond shape
- junction of sagittal, frontal, and coronal sutures
- closure around 18 months
- future site of BREGMA
3
Q
posterior fontanelle shape? location? closure? suture site of?
A
- triangular in shape
- junctions of sagittal, and lambdoidal sutures
- closure begins at 3 months
- future site of LAMBDA
4
Q
sphenoidal and mastoid fontanelle
closure?
suture site of?
A
- smaller and less importnant clinically
- sphenoidal closure @ 6 months; becomes PTERION (anterior, lateral)
- Mastoid closure by 12 months; becomes ASTERION (caudal, lateral)
5
Q
Bulging Fontanelle
A
- *Some ‘bulging’ or ‘throbbing’ of the anterior fontanelle is normal –esp. when infant cries, lying down, or is vomiting.
- *However, may also be associated with encephalitis, hydrocephalus, or meningitis.
6
Q
frontal (metopic) suture closes?
A
6 months
7
Q
coronal suture closes?
A
~30-40 years
8
Q
squamosal suture closes?
A
~30-40 years
9
Q
Lambdoidal suture closes?
A
~30-40 years
10
Q
sagittal suture closes?
A
~30-40 years
11
Q
what is craniosynostosis?
A
*Premature closure of cranial sutures. *Usually doesn’t affect brain development
12
Q
Oxychepaly
A
Premature closure of coronal and lambdoid sutures
13
Q
Scaphocephaly
A
Premature closure of sagittal suture
14
Q
Plagiochepaly
A
Premature closure of unilateral coronal Or lambdoid suture
*slanted or uneven forehead
