Congenital torticollis in association with craniosynostosis

Abstract

The incidence of congenital torticollis in association with plagiocephaly is 1 in 300 newborns, with the torticollis resulting from pathologically sustained contraction of the sternocleidomastoid. Such conditions as facial asymmetries, craniovertebral anomalies, cervical hemivertebra, and mono- or polydysostoses may also be associated with torticollis diagnosed during the neonatal period. With particular reference to synostotic (coronal and/or lambdoidal) plagiocephaly, a clear distinction is made in this paper between posterior neurocranial flattening secondary to the sustained rotation of the skull resulting from torticollis and that seen in synostotic plagiocephaly. The rarity of torticollis with sustained contraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle relative to the frequency of occipital-parietal flattening in newborn kept in the supine position has not been discussed in the literature and is therefore of clinical importance. In light of the fact that the prognosis and, consequently, the treatment plan vary directly with the presence or absence of synostoses, clinical evaluation also includes cephalometrics, plain skull X-rays, and CT imaging. If the torticollis is associated with neurocranial deformity but synostosis is absent, cervical traction and physiotherapy resolve the symptoms. When, however, the clinical picture is complicated by synostotic plagiocephaly, corrective surgery is necessary, though cervical traction and physiotherapy are essential to provide early and complete cure of the torticollis.