Cranioplasty Outcomes from a Tertiary Hospital in a Developing Country.

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Surgical Reconstruction

Background:

• Decompressive craniectomy (DC) treats increased intracranial pressure.
• Cranioplasty (CP) follows DC for brain protection and CSF dynamics.
• CP can lead to complications like seizures, fluid collections, infections, and hydrocephalus.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate complications following cranioplasty (CP).
• Identify risk factors for CP complications.
• Determine if early versus late CP affects outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 63 patients undergoing CP after DC (2014-2022).
• Collected data on demographics, injury type, CP materials, and timing.
• Compared complication rates for early CP (≤90 days) versus late CP (>90 days).

Main Results:

• High overall complication rate of 57%, with seizures/epilepsy (50%) and fluid collections (28%) being most common.
• 22% of patients required reoperation for a second CP.
• No significant difference in complication rates between early and late CP.

Conclusions:

• Cranioplasty, though seemingly simple, has a significant complication rate.
• Surgeons need thorough knowledge of potential CP complications.
• Further research may explore specific risk factors and management strategies.