Craniosynostosis: Obstructive sleep apnea in a unifying theory for intracranial hypertension.

Craniosynostosis is a rare congenital disorder, characterized by the premature fusion of skull suture(s) resulting in an abnormal skull shape. These children are at risk for obstructive sleep apnea, but also for cranio-cerebral disproportion, hydrocephalus, venous hypertension and abnormal cerebral blood flow. All these factors contribute to the development of intracranial hypertension, i.e., raised intracranial pressure.