Anatomy and significance of the temporal fat pad in Apert syndrome.

Abnormal temporal region anatomy in Apert syndrome described in the literature includes inferior and lateral displacement of the middle cranial fossa, effacement of the temporal fossa, and thinning of the temporalis muscle. Four patients with Apert syndrome were noted to have hyperplasia of the bilateral superficial temporal fat pads, which could be contoured surgically. A case is presented with reformatted three-dimensional computed tomography (3-D CT) scans with intraoperative documentation of increased temporal fat as compared to normal controls.