The State of Technology in Craniosynostosis

Area of Science:

• Craniofacial Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Pediatric Neurosurgery

Background:

• Craniosynostosis, premature fusion of cranial sutures, causes pediatric skull deformities, affecting 1 in 2000-2500 births.
• Technological advancements are rapidly evolving the management of craniofacial conditions, particularly craniosynostosis.
• This systematic review focuses on recent technological innovations in craniosynostosis surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and highlight the latest technological advancements in craniosynostosis surgery.
• To identify and categorize novel technologies impacting the diagnosis and treatment of craniosynostosis.
• To provide an overview of innovations in surgical planning, intraoperative procedures, and patient communication.

Main Methods:

• A systematic electronic literature search was conducted using the PubMed database.
• Search terms included "craniosynostosis" combined with "technology," "innovation," or "novel."
• Articles were reviewed by two independent reviewers, with novel technologies categorized by procedure type.

Main Results:

• 28 of 536 reviewed articles were retained, identifying 21 novel technologies.
• Technologies were categorized into diagnostic imaging (6), surgical planning (4), cranial vault evaluation (4), machine learning (3), ultrasound pinning (3), and near-infrared spectroscopy (1).
• These innovations improve diagnosis, objective measurement, preoperative planning, and intraoperative procedures.

Conclusions:

• Numerous technological advancements are significantly impacting craniosynostosis treatment.
• Innovations enhance diagnostic accuracy, objective measurement, preoperative planning, and intraoperative techniques.
• These advancements also improve surgeon-patient communication and surgical education in managing pediatric skull deformities.