CROUZON SYNDROME

Course overview

CROUZON SYNDROME IS A GENETICALLY INHERITED SYNDROME CHARACTERIZED BY CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS (PREMATURE FUSION OF CORONAL SUTURES) RESULTING IN THE SKULL AND FACIAL DEFORMITIES. THE SYNDROME WAS FIRST DESCRIBED IN 1912 BY FRENCH PHYSICIAN OCTAVE CROUZON WHEN HE IDENTIFIED BOTH A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WITH WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED “CRANIOFACIAL DYSOSTOSIS.” HE DESCRIBED A TRIAD OF SKULL DEFORMITIES, FACIAL ANOMALIES, AND PROPTOSIS. THIS TRIAD OF FINDINGS WAS THEN RE-LABELED “CROUZON SYNDROME.” THE SYNDROME’S GENETIC AND MOLECULAR BASIS HAS SINCE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND WILL BE DISCUSSED. THE SYNDROME IS ONE OF MANY CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS SYNDROMES AND IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE MILDEST FORM OF THEM. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE WORKUP OF CROUZON SYNDROME AND DESCRIBES THE ROLE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WORKING TOGETHER TO MANAGE THIS CONDITION.