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Spring-Assisted Cranial Expansion for Multisuture Craniosynostosis: First Case Report from the Indian Subcontinent
Rajendra S Gujjalanavar1, Rajalaxmi Doddamani1, Vybhav Deraje1
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Insights
Spring-assisted cranial expansion is effective for infants with multisuture craniosynostosis and high intracranial pressure. This technique offers advantages over traditional methods in very young patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Craniofacial Surgery
Background:
- Multisuture craniosynostosis requires timely surgical intervention to manage raised intracranial pressure and ensure proper brain development.
- Traditional surgical approaches like posterior vault distraction osteogenesis and open remodeling have limitations in extremely young infants.
Observation:
- A 5-month-old infant from the Indian subcontinent presented with multisuture craniosynostosis and elevated intracranial pressure.
- The infant underwent a two-stage surgical management: initial spring-assisted cranial expansion followed by fronto-orbital advancement and cranial vault remodeling.
Findings:
- Spring-assisted cranial expansion facilitated effective management of intracranial pressure in this extremely young patient.
- This approach proved advantageous compared to solely relying on posterior vault distraction osteogenesis or open posterior vault remodeling for this specific case.
Implications:
- Spring-assisted cranial expansion represents a viable and potentially superior surgical option for managing complex craniosynostosis in infants.
- This case report highlights the successful application of this technique in a previously underrepresented region, offering valuable insights for pediatric neurosurgeons globally.
Abstract:
We present a first use case report from the Indian subcontinent of a 5-month-old child with multisuture craniosynostosis with raised intracranial pressure managed by spring-assisted cranial expansion followed by traditional fronto-orbital advancement and cranial vault remodeling. We emphasize the advantages of spring-assisted cranial expansion in extremely young infants with raised intracranial pressure over posterior vault distraction osteogenesis and open posterior vault remodeling.
