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Growing skull fracture in a 5-month old child: a case report

Michael Yu1, John H Schmidt, Brooke A Trenton

  • 1Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.

The West Virginia Medical Journal
|July 13, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Growing skull fractures are a rare complication in children. This case highlights surgical management of a growing skull fracture with a leptomeningeal cyst, leading to neurological improvement.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Growing skull fractures (GSFs) are uncommon sequelae of pediatric linear skull fractures.
  • They represent a failure of fracture healing, leading to progressive enlargement.
  • Leptomeningeal cyst formation is a known, though infrequent, complication.

Observation:

  • A 5-month-old infant presented with a growing skull fracture.
  • Diagnostic imaging, including CT and MRI, confirmed the GSF and associated leptomeningeal cyst.
  • The patient exhibited left upper extremity weakness.

Findings:

  • Surgical intervention involved cyst excision, duraplasty, and cranial reconstruction.
  • Post-operative follow-up indicated neurological stability.
  • Improvement in the patient's left upper extremity weakness was observed.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of timely diagnosis and surgical management of GSFs with complications.
  • Effective surgical techniques can lead to favorable neurological outcomes in affected children.
  • Further research into the pathogenesis and optimal management of GSFs is warranted.

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