[Craniofacial growth under the influence of the blood supply. II. Skull scoliosis].

After unilateral ligature of the common carotid artery in young rats, the rostrum was observed to shift towards the ligated side. The scoliosis was combined with arthropathic changes in the temporomandibular joint. The deflection of the rostrum is situated in the region of the right premaxillar bone. It is assumed that the scoliosis is caused by reduction of the blood flow to the frontonasal sutures because the terminal branches of the infraorbital artery have no collaterals. Moreover, the reduction in the blood supply also leads to disturbance of the muscular function and thus to a reduction in growth stimuli to the frontonasal sutures.