Conservative management of aplasia cutis congenita: case report

A male newborn with a large scalp and skull defect and a cervical meningocele was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit of the North Carolina Baptist Hospital. The scalp defect measured 8.5 x 9.5 cm, and the sagittal sinus was exposed. Because the defect was considered too large to be covered with a rotation skin flap, it was treated thrice daily with the topical application of bacitracin ointment and circumferential dressings. By the end of 3 months, the skull defect was covered with skin. The cervical meningocele was then removed without incident. At the 9-month follow-up examination, the scalp defect was well healed and the skull defect was closing slowly; the neurological findings were still normal for the patient's age.