Management of a large skull defect utilizing a vascularized free omental transfer

A patient who underwent prior cranial surgery and radiation therapy and had the loss of his bone and skin flaps is presented. Basal cell carcinoma of a skin graft, placed on the dura mater and osteomyelitis of the surrounding cranium subsequently occurred. This problem of infection, neoplasia, cerebral protection, coverage, and cosmesis was managed successfully with a complex repair. The repair utilized autogenous fascia lata for the replacement of dura mater, rib and iliac crest bone for an autogenous cranioplasty, a free vascularized omental transfer for soft tissue bulk overlying the cranioplasty, and an autogenous split thickness skin graft over the omentum for coverage. Subsequent partial resorption of the autogenous cranioplasty necessitated the placement of a methyl methacrylate cranioplasty.