MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF VAULT SUTURE & ITS CORRELATION WITH AGE IN CENTRAL RAJASTHAN

Abstract

Introduction: The suture closure of skull has a time and sequence of their union and study of suture closure can be correlated to its age and the obliteration of sutures is affected by sex, race, climate, heredity and diet

Aims: To study the closure of vault sutures on both inner and outer surface of skull and its correlation with age.

Methods: Total 200 skulls in autopsy cases (157 males and 43 females) from all age groups were studied.

Results: In males the minimal age of fusion in endocranium were 40 years for both sagittal suture (SS) and coronal suture (CS) & 50 years for lambdoid suture (LS). In females it was 40, 33 and 53 years for SS, CS & LS respectively. The maximum age of non-union of suture on endocranium in males was 42, 45, 55 years for SC, CS & LS respectively. In females it was 45, 45 and 55 years for SC, CS and LS respectively. 2 males (1% of all cases) showed nonfusion of vault sutures at the age of 70 years at ectocranium. Among the females maximum age of non-union of ectocranium was observed to be 59, 58 and 69 years for SS, CS and LS respectively.

Conclusion: The fusion of endocranial vault sutures occurred 5-10 years earlier as compared to ectocranium and it is more reliable. The obliteration sets little early and proceeds more slowly in the females than in males.