Secondary Corrections for Single-Suture Craniosynostosis: Perioperative Outcomes and Predisposing Factors

Many single-suture craniosynostosis corrections end up needing secondary remodeling procedures. The authors sought to determine whether these more complicated operations carry higher complication rates, and to explore potential predisposing factors.

The authors performed a retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing primary and secondary remodeling corrections at a single center, between 2010 and 2020.

Of 491 sequential single-suture corrections, 380 were primary procedures and 111 were secondary (89.2% initially treated elsewhere); 10.3% of primary procedures received allogeneic blood versus only 1.8% of secondary corrections ( p =0.005). Median hospital lengths of stays were similar between groups [primary, 2.0 days (interquartile range [IQR], 2 to 2); secondary, 2.0 days (IQR, 2 to 2)], as were surgical infection rates (primary, 0%; secondary, 0.9%). With respect to predisposing factors, the affected suture and presence of a genetic mutation did not appear predictive; however, the median age at primary correction was significantly younger for those needing second procedures [6.0 months (IQR, 4 to 9 months) versus 12.0 months (IQR, 11 to 16 months)]. An odds ratio estimate suggests that for every month increase in age, the odds of undergoing a reoperation drops 40%. With respect to surgical indications, concerns for raised intracranial pressure and skull defects were more commonly cited following strip craniectomies than remodeling procedures.

This single-center review was unable to identify a higher risk profile for reoperations. In addition, analyses suggest that performing primary corrections at a younger age and, possibly, strip craniectomies were associated with a higher likelihood of a subsequent secondary correction.

Therapeutic, III.