Lambdoid suture

The lambdoid suture (or lambdoidal suture) is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint that separates the parietal and temporal bones of the skull from the occipital bone.

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Its name comes from the lambda-like shape this suture makes on the back of the skull.

Medical implications

At birth, the bones of the skull do not meet.

If certain bones of the skull grow too fast, then craniosynostosis (premature closure of the sutures) may occur. This can result in skull deformities.

If the lambdoid suture closes too soon on one side, the skull will appear twisted and asymmetrical, a condition called "plagiocephaly."

The lambdoidal suture articulates with the occipital bone and parietal bones

References

• "Sagittal suture." Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 27th ed. (2000).
• Moore, Keith L., and T.V.N. Persaud. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th ed. (2003).