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Surgical Management of Calcified Cephalohematoma in Infants
Ali Şahin1, Nimetullah Alper Durmuş, Şükrü Oral
1Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Kayseri, Turkiye.
Insights
Surgical management of calcified cephalohematoma in infants is effective, with a low complication rate. Early surgical intervention within the first three months shows promising results for restoring cranial symmetry.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Craniofacial Surgery
Background:
- Calcified cephalohematoma is a rare but serious condition causing infant skull asymmetry.
- Surgical intervention is sometimes necessary for significant cosmetic or functional deformities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate surgical outcomes for calcified cephalohematoma.
- To review critical aspects of surgical management in infants.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 15 infant patients with calcified cephalohematoma who underwent surgery.
- Analysis of patient demographics, surgical timing, complications, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- The mean age at operation was 3.5 months; 66.7% were operated on before 3 months.
- Scalp swelling was the primary complaint; 86.7% had complicated deliveries.
- Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients; 33.3% required blood transfusion, primarily those operated on earlier.
Conclusions:
- Surgical technique effectively restored cranial contours with a low complication rate.
- Early surgery (within 3 months) is safe and effective for calcified cephalohematoma.
- Caution is advised regarding postoperative hemorrhage and blood transfusion needs.
Aim:
To investigate the patients diagnosed with calcified cephalic hematoma who underwent surgery at our clinic, and to review the critical aspects of surgical management.
Material And Methods:
This study retrospectively reviewed calcified cephalic hematoma patients who underwent surgery between January 2021 and December 2023.
Results:
Fifteen patients with calcified cephalic hematoma who received surgical treatment were enrolled in the study (four (26.7%) female and 11 (73.3%) male). The mean age at operation was 3.5±1.9 months (min?max: 2?10). The mean follow-up duration was 23.3±9.5 months. Patients operated on at ages ?3 months (n=10, 66.7%) and > 3 months (n=5, 33.3%) were categorised into two separate groups. The calcified cephalic hematoma was detected in the parietal region in 14 patients and in the occipital region in one patient. All patients presented with complaints of scalp swelling. Furthermore, 13 (86.7%) patients underwent complicated deliveries, and two (13.3%) experienced postpartum trauma. Three patients experienced postoperative complications, including wound infection, subgaleal hematoma and epileptic seizure; blood transfusion was required in five patients (33.3%). Of note, all the patients with postoperative blood requirements were operated on at ?3 months age.
Conclusion:
Calcified cephalohematoma is an uncommon but serious condition that can cause significant asymmetry of the infant skull. The surgical technique employed in this study exhibited a low rate of complications and effectively restored regular cranial contours, particularly in patients with Type 1 calcified cephalohematoma and those with Type 2 calcified cephalohematoma accompanied by mild cranial depression. It was concluded that patients with calcified cephalic hematoma could be safely operated on during the first three months following birth. Nevertheless, caution should be taken regarding postoperative haemorrhage and the requirement for erythrocyte suspension replacement.
