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Skull restoration technique may lower complication risk after brain surgery

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Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that a new technique for skull restoration may significantly reduce the risk of complications and infection following cranioplasty as opposed to traditional skull restoration techniques.
“Everyone has been taught for 120 years to completely peel up the scalp,” Chad R. Gordon, DO, stated in a press release. “But by not disturbing the brain, we get much better outcomes. This is a safer, simpler way to do a very complex surgery.”

The new technique consists of peeling back three of the scalp's five layers and resting the removed section of bone in between the layers. This allows the bone continued access to blood supply both above and below, reducing the risk of infection. Infection is the leading major complication following secondary cranioplasty, with rates ranging from 21% to 40% of patients.
Gordon and colleagues studied 50 patients treated with the new technique from July 2011 to June 2013. In contrast to the aforementioned 21% to 40% infection rate, only one patient in the study developed a deep infection requiring bone removal. Blood loss was also substantially reduced.
“This represents a tremendous advantage for our patients,” co-author Judy Huang, MD, stated in the release.
Reference:

Gordon CR. Neurosurgery. 2014; doi:10.1227/NEU.0000000000000296.

Disclosures: Coauthor Lim is a consultant, speaker and has received an honorarium from Stryker. The other authors have no relevant financial disclosures.