Delayed bilateral craniectomy for treatment of traumatic brain swelling in children: case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Head injury is the leading cause of accidental death in children. Recent reports have shown the benefit of decompressive craniectomy in children and the role of early timing has been emphasized. However, there is still a lack of data to determine the optimal time for performing craniectomy. CASE REPORT: In contrast to most reports in the literature, this case report demonstrates successful bilateral decompressive craniectomy in a 10-year-old girl with multiple posttraumatic intracranial lesions and massive traumatic brain swelling on the 8th posttraumatic day. CONCLUSIONS: Various pathophysiological mechanisms in the genesis of posttraumatic brain swelling make different treatment strategies necessary. Continuous monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP), as well as serial cranial computed tomography (CCT), can help to differentiate between these mechanisms. Furthermore, repeated clinical and neurophysiological investigations are important for the timing of craniectomy.

Preliminary results of standardized occipital advancement in the treatment of lambdoid synostosis.

INTRODUCTION: Lambdoid synostosis can be found unilaterally, bilaterally or in combination with other forms of craniosynostosis. Based on the concept of frontoorbital advancement, we used the occipital advancement in order to correct unilateral or bilateral lambdoid synostosis. METHODS: The standardized technique consists of transverse osteotomies, removal, remodelling and advancement of the occipital region. RESULTS: Standardized occipital advancement was performed in 21 patients at a multidisciplinary craniofacial centre. The surgery was carried out for patients between 5 and 28 months of age. Aesthetically satisfactory skull shape and normalization of the intracranial pressure could be achieved. A major complication in the form of a life-threatening intraoperative haemorrhage occurred in one case. Other complications like infections have not been experienced. CONCLUSION: Standardized occipital advancement allows precise, reproducible and predictable positioning of the segments. Artificial 'sutures' are created as a result of the osteotomy. Remodelling leads to a well-proportioned skull shape and posterior advancement leads to an increase in intracranial volume.

The fronto-orbital osteotomy as plastic-reconstructive approach to the anterior and middle skull base.

Introduction: A combined extra-intracranial access for the operative exploration of tumours of the anterior and middle skull base is indicated when the tumour extends intracranially and simultaneously into the nasal cavity, the paranasal sinuses or the orbit. Methods: Two standardized modifications of the fronto-orbital osteotomy, the fronto-orbito-nasal and the fronto-orbito-zygomatic osteotomy, allow safe removal of skull base tumours in these locations. In extensive skull base tumours, a modified bilateral fronto-orbital-zygomatic osteotomy can be used. Results: Between February 1993 and July 2000 skull base tumours in 111 patients were resected using the presented methods. The most frequent tumour type was meningioma in 29 cases. Complications were encountered in 13 cases (11.7%). Conclusion: The advantages over other approaches are good extra- and intracranial overview and minimal cerebral trauma. Additional transfacial incisions are not usually necessary. Exact repositioning of the fronto-orbital segments leads to optimal aesthetic results. Copyright 2001 European Association for Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery.