Frontal head posture in shunt-treated hydrocephalic patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate frontal head posture in shunt-treated hydrocephalic patients and its relation to the sidedness of the shunt device.


METHODS
Natural head position and frontal cephalograms of 55 shunt-treated Finnish hydrocephalic patients and 33 healthy Finnish subjects were analysed using a computerised digitising program (X-METRIX). The following reference angles were used: ORB/HOR, indicating the head position related to the true horizontal; CER/VER, indicating the cervical position related to the true vertical; and CER/CR, indicating the craniocervical position.


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed an increased skewness of the head in the shunt-treated subjects, which was not related to the shunt side.
Athussaki
P
P
Department of Orthodontics, Institute of Odontology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
Zepa
I
I
Huggare
J
J
Serlo
W
W
Pirttiniemi
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002508:Cephalometry; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011187:Posture; D011859:Radiography; D014103:Torticollis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology