Assessment of cranial distraction for craniosynostosis in the middle period

We retrospectively assess the postoperative results of cranial distraction in 41 craniosynostosis patients to determine the outcome of corrective surgery. Since the first cranial operation for craniosynostosis in Osaka City General Hospital in 1997, there have been some fundamental changes in the distraction technique. The study population consisted of 13 syndromic and 28 non-syndromic cases whose ages ranged from 3 months to 4 years at the time of initial surgery. All patients underwent cranial distraction. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 8 years. Three of 41 patients required a secondary cranial vault operation. Results were assessed according to CT, X-P and photographs. Aesthetic deformities required calvarial recontouring or cranioplasty to achieve satisfactory forehead contour or bony continuity were documented. On the basis of our experience, we wish to point out some problems inherent in these surgeries, and discuss the outcome of the distraction procedure and the indication for each cases.