Introduction: Surgical treatment of craniosynostosis in children may generate secondary cranial vault defects by incomplete ossification process. The incidence of cranial defects after craniosynostosis surgery is poorly reported in the literature with a variable incidence of 0,5% to 18,2%. To better understand the impact and management of the cranial defects after craniosynostosis surgery, we selected and reviewed al cranioplasties that met this criterion between 2002 and 2019.

Patients and method: We found 41 patients (28 M and 13 F) operated between January 2002 to January 2019 who underwent cranioplasty for cranial defects secondary to craniosynostosis surgery in the infancy. All patient were at least 5 years old (range 5 to 17 years, median 11). The indication was aesthetic in 28 patients and for headaches, learning difficulties or changes in the cerebral blood flow in 13 patients. The material used in cranioplasty was the poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) in 40 patients and customized porous hydroxyapatite (CPHA) in 1 patient.

Results: The mean follow-up period after cranioplasty was of 37 months (range 2 to 125 months, median of 27 months). In the postoperative period there were no mortality nor neurological complications. There were 3 cases (7%) of superficial local postoperative wound infection but with no evidence of long-term infection. The long-term CT scan follow-up showed no material migration, dislocation or fractures.

Conclusion: Considering the characteristics of the cranial vault after craniosynostosis surgery the treatment by cranioplasty with heterologous materials appears to be feasible thusavoiding donor site morbidity. For selected cases with small defects, our experience shows that the use of PMMA may be a safe alternative for the cranial vault repair in children older than 5 years.