Risk Factors for Persistent Cranial Defects After Open Cranial Vault Remodeling for Sagittal Synostosis

Open cranial vault remodeling with craniectomy and barrel-stave osteotomies remains an established treatment for sagittal synostosis. However, predictors of persistent cranial defects requiring secondary cranioplasty remain incompletely defined. Clarifying factors associated with secondary cranioplasty may inform surgical decision-making and postoperative surveillance.

A single-center retrospective review of 93 patients undergoing open cranial vault remodeling for nonsyndromic sagittal synostosis was performed (2007-2023). Secondary cranioplasty for persistent calvarial defects was the primary outcome. Continuous variables were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum testing and categorical variables using Fisher exact testing. Predictors of secondary cranioplasty were evaluated using bias-reduced multivariable logistic regression, including procedure time, age, and surgical approach. Time-to-event analyses were performed to account for variable follow-up duration, with a sensitivity analysis in patients with ≥5 years of follow-up.

Secondary cranioplasty was performed in 8/93 patients (8.6%). No variables were significantly associated with secondary cranioplasty on univariate comparison. Procedure time was associated with secondary cranioplasty in multivariable analysis (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.01-3.06, P=0.046), while age at surgery and bifrontal craniectomy were not significant. Craniectomy width was also not associated with secondary surgery. Time-to-event analyses demonstrated no consistent predictors. In the ≥5-year cohort (n=40), no variables remained significant.

Secondary cranioplasty occurred in ∼9% of patients. While procedure time was associated with the need for secondary cranioplasty, this finding was not consistent across sensitivity analyses and likely reflects surgical complexity rather than causality. No definitive associations were identified, highlighting the multifactorial nature of postoperative cranial defects.