The effect of intentional cranial deformation on frontal sinus development and morphology

Abstract

Introduction: Intentional cranial deformation (ICD) has been documented to be a world‐wide phenomenon whose practice elicits considerable shape changes to the neurocranium during the early stages of postnatal development. Since the development of the frontal sinuses begins after early childhood, the application of ICD procedures should affect morphological growth trajectories in its anatomy. This qualitative and quantitative study examines the effects of ICD on the frontal sinus development and morphology.Methods: Twenty intentionally deformed (ID) and twenty non‐deformed (ND) dry crania from distinct Bolivian and Peruvian indigenous populations were selected from the Division of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History. The crania were scanned using a hispeed helical CT scanner. Craniofacial linear measures, along with endocranial (EC) and frontal sinus volumetric determinations were obtained using a three dimensional (3‐D) volume rendering program.Results: 3‐D reconstructed volumetric studies showed no statistical differences between the EC volume of ID and ND crania. Analysis of frontal angle showed statistically significant difference between ID and ND crania (p<0.001). Volumetric measurements of frontal sinus showed no statistically significant differences between ID and ND crania.Conclusion: ICD procedures affect more readily the extrasplanchnocranial moiety as detected by external linear measurements of adult crania. However, the development of the frontal sinus seems not to be affected by these external changes. This study emphasizes the developmental potential of the paranasal sinuses which is not affected by structural changes within the neurocranium.