Craniosynostosis is a developmental anomaly with premature closure of the cranial sutures causing an abnormally shaped skull in an infant. Recommended surgical treatment involves cranial vault reconstruction to open the closed suture, increase intracranial volume, and allow the brain to grow normally. Parents work with a multidisciplinary team during the evaluation process and face various preoperative and postoperative stressors. Critical care nurses can improve the care of the infants and their families by being knowledgeable about the anatomy, assessment, and surgical and nursing management of infants with this anomaly and its impact on the patients’ families. This article discusses the definitions, diagnosis, and treatment of craniosynostosis and support for parents of infants with this malformation.
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1 August 2013
Pediatric Care|
August 01 2013
Craniosynostosis: Caring for Infants and Their Families
Laura Burokas, MS, APN, CPNP/CCNS
Laura Burokas is the advanced practice nurse for pediatric neurosurgery at Advocate Children’s Hospital, Oak Lawn Campus, Oak Lawn, Illinois.
Corresponding author: Laura Burokas, ms, apn, cpnp/ccns, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Advocate Children’s Hospital, Oak Lawn Campus, 4440 W 95th St, Oak Lawn, IL 60453 (e-mail: [email protected]).
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Crit Care Nurse (2013) 33 (4): 39–50.
Citation
Laura Burokas; Craniosynostosis: Caring for Infants and Their Families. Crit Care Nurse 1 August 2013; 33 (4): 39–50. doi: https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2013678
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