Progressive facial asymmetry as a result of early closure of the left coronal suture.

A longitudinal growth analysis of a patient with premature closure of the left coronal suture is presented. The resultant facial asymmetry of patients with unilateral synostosis of the coronal suture is accompanied by diagnostic facial characteristics and radiographic skull distortions. The midfacial structures distort and grow toward the site of synostosis while the lower face grows away from the site of synostosis. Unilateral craniosynostosis of the coronal suture results in distortions and compensations within the cranial vault and the cranial base. Therefore, with growth of the contiguous facial structures, the facial distortions are magnified.