Diagnosis and Management of Suture-Related Concerns of the Infant Skull

Post-craniotomy coronal suture diastases in a transformed lower grade glioma

Cranial suture diastases are an uncommon clinical entity, with post craniotomy diastases being a previously undescribed finding in literature to our best knowledge. Herein, we report a case of a 28-year-old adult who underwent a second-stage low-grade glioma surgery 7 months after initial surgery. This study presents coronal suture diastases adjacent to the previously performed craniotomy. After literature and pathophysiology review, we found it to be unique and that the craniotomy can resemble the mechanical stress of trauma.

Sagittal Synostectomy With Tension Band Sutures for Correction of Sagittal Craniosynostosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Premature fusion of the sagittal suture is the most common form of craniosynostosis and can be treated using a variety of open or endoscopic approaches. Existing approaches have varying degrees of effectiveness. Open approaches, whether performed early or late, can be associated with significant blood loss and the need for transfusion. Endoscope-assisted approaches are minimally invasive but require months of postoperative helmet therapy to help remodel the skull. Implantation of springs or distractors requires a second operation for removal of the devices. Here, we present an alternative technique for early correction of sagittal craniosynostosis combining sagittal synostectomy with tension band sutures to remodel the skull without need for transfusion or helmet therapy.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients treated for sagittal craniosynostosis using a synostectomy with tension band sutures at a single tertiary care institution. Data on patient demographics, operative factors, and postoperative course were collected.

RESULTS

Thirty-four patients underwent the novel procedure. The median preoperative cephalic index was 68 and improved to 76 immediately postoperatively. The median blood loss was 10 mL while the operative duration was 112 minutes. No blood transfusions were needed. One small dural laceration was encountered that was promptly repaired. There were no postoperative complications. Patients presenting for follow-up visits showed continued improvement in head shape and cephalic index.

CONCLUSION

A modified sagittal craniectomy with tension band sutures to remodel the skull is effective in achieving immediate correction of sagittal craniosynostosis. The correction remains durable over long-term follow-up. Importantly, the technique can be performed with minimal blood loss and reduces transfusion risk, operative time, and overall morbidity compared with traditional open approaches while avoiding the need for helmet therapy necessitated by endoscopic approaches.

Imaging in craniofacial disorders with special emphasis on gradient echo Black-Bone and Zero Time Echo MRI sequences

Context:

The well-known effects of ionizing radiation on brain cells have been a major driving force toward the use of non-ionizing methods of imaging in both elective and emergency settings. Pediatric neurosurgery has certainly leveraged on this shift in clinical practice, however patients with craniofacial disorders could not fully benefit from the adoption of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because computed tomography (CT) scans still retain superior imaging power on bone tissue.

Aims:

To explore the knowledge available on the use of MRI as surrogate for CT scan in the assessment of craniosynostosis.

Settings and Design:

A scoping review was designed to identify landmark studies and ongoing clinical trials exploring the accuracy of MRI-based bone imaging in the preoperative planning of pediatric patients with craniosynostosis.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 492 records were screened from Pubmed, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases; while 55 records were retrieved from ClinicalTrials.gov register. Only clinical studies revolving around the use of Gradient Echo Black-Bone (BB) and Zero Time Echo (ZTE) MRI sequences for the preoperative planning of pediatric craniosynostosis were retained for inclusion.

Results and Conclusions:

This review identified only five clinical studies reporting a high accuracy of MRI-based 3D bone reconstruction in 47 pediatric candidates to surgical correction of craniosynostosis. Although promising, limited evidence (Level IV) exist that BB and ZTE MRI could help in the surgical planning for craniosynostosis management. The results of two ongoing randomized clinical trials, which are actively enrolling patients, will hopefully help answering this research question.