Sagittal Suture

The sagittal suture, also known as the P suture, is one of the main sutures connecting the bones of the human skull. It extends along the midline of the skull, dividing it into two halves - left and right. The sagittal suture is a typical example of a suture that exists at the junction of two skull bones without the possibility of movement.

The sagittal suture is a flat, tightly fitting, top-to-bottom suture that extends over the bones of the skull. It begins at the front of the skull at the superior border of the frontal bone and extends backward to the back of the skull where it becomes the lambdoid suture. The sagittal suture has the shape of a straight line and is the most prominent suture on the surface of the skull.

Functionally, the sagittal suture plays an important role in the development and growth of the skull. During childhood development, when the skull is not yet fully ossified, the sagittal suture allows the bones of the skull to move and adapt to the growth of the brain. This allows the skull to flexibly expand and adapt to changing head size. However, as a person grows older, the sagittal suture ossifies and becomes fixed, providing a strong connection to the bones of the skull.

Maintaining the integrity of the sagittal suture is an important aspect of cranial health. In certain medical conditions, such as craniosynostosis, the sagittal suture may close prematurely, which can cause head deformity and problems with brain development. In such cases, surgery may be required to separate the overgrown suture and restore the normal shape of the skull.

In conclusion, the sagittal suture is an important anatomical element of the human skull. It provides a strong connection between the bones of the skull while allowing flexibility and growth during childhood. Understanding the structure and function of the sagittal suture is important for medicine and surgery, as well as for the diagnosis and treatment of a number of pathologies associated with the skull and head development.



The sagittal suture (lat. sutura sagittalis) is an unpaired cranial suture that connects the right and left parietal bones along the sagittal (arrow-shaped) line relative to the skull. The suture extends from the nasal part of the frontal bone (at the level of the nasal bones) to the internal occipital protuberance.

The sagittal suture is one of the most durable sutures of the skull. It is formed as a result of the fusion of the two sagittal edges of the parietal bones with flat, jagged edges. The suture has the shape of an arrow, pointing backward.

The sagittal suture plays an important role in the growth of the skull and brain, as it allows the parietal bones to move as the brain grows. After the growth of the skull is completed, the suture is completely obliterated (overgrown) by the age of 25-30.