Cranioplasty With Autogenous Frozen and Autoclaved Bone: Management and Treatment Outcomes

Cranioplasty is a widely employed procedure for restoration of calvarial form and shape. The use of autogenous bone flap offers biological reconstruction with minimal donor site morbidity. One of the options to re-use bone autograft is low temperature preservation followed by autoclaving during cranioplasty. A retrospective evaluation of 12 patients with a mean age of 32.58 ± 10.04 years who underwent frozen autogenous autoclaved bone cranioplasty was done. Cranial bone flaps were removed during the initial craniectomy and stored at 4°C for 20 minutes followed by preservation at -40°C in the deep freezer of the blood bank. Cranioplasty subsequently was performed at a mean time period of 172.17 ± 26.20 days by thawing the bone at room temperature followed by autoclaving at 121°C under 15 psi for 40 minutes. Data regarding patients' characteristics and complications were recorded. Clinical outcomes based on skull shape and symmetry, cosmesis and scars were analyzed by a panel of 4 raters, including 3 doctors and 1 patient. Radiological outcomes were analyzed based on remaining bone thickness and bone gap widening. The present study revealed functionally, structurally, and cosmetically satisfying results. All the cases had satisfactory healing and no incidence of bone graft infection. The skull shape and symmetry, cosmesis and scars revealed excellent to moderate improvement in three-fourth of the patients. Radiological outcomes revealed none of the patients had severe resorption requiring surgical revision with excellent to good implant alignment in 92% of cases. It was concluded that frozen autogenous cranial bone flaps sterilized by autoclaving is safe and effective material for cranioplasty.