Amount of reoperation following surgical repair of nonsyndromic craniosynostosis at a single center

Abstract

Background/aim: Craniosynostosis is a deformity of the skull that occurs as a result of early fusion of one or more cranial sutures and can be accompanied by neurological deficits. Craniosynostosis can be classified as syndromic or nonsyndromic according to the type of suture involved. Surgical treatment of craniosynostosis in infants basically involves loosening and opening the fused sutures to reduce intracranial pressure, allow the brain to grow, and also fix the skull shape. However, in such cases there is a risk of resynostosis after surgery. According to the literature, resynostosis rates vary between 0% and 70%. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the reoperation rate in craniosynostosis cases treated surgically in our clinic.Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of 70 nonsyndromic craniosynostosis cases treated surgically in the Neurosurgery Department of Bursa Uludag University from 2005 to 2019 was performed. All patients had undergone total cranial vault remodeling surgically and had been followed up for at least a year.Results: The study group included 70 patients, comprising 40 (57.1%) male and 30 (42.9%) female patients. The mean age of the group was 10.9 +/- 7.8 months (range 3-34 months). Out of 70 patients, repeat surgery due to resynostosis had been performed once in 5 (7.1%) patients and twice in 1 (1.4%) patient.Conclusion: It should be kept in mind that resynostosis may occur in patients who have been operated for craniosynostosis. Patients should be examined cosmetically and if necessary, radiologically in the follow-up. Further studies based on larger sample size are recommended for more quantitative data and better results.