Primary Grafting with Autologous Cranial Particulate Bone Prevents Osseous Defects following Fronto-Orbital Advancement

Background: Approximately 20 percent of patients require cranioplasty for defects after fronto-orbital advancement. The authors hypothesized that corticocancellous cranial particulate bone placed over exposed dura at the time of fronto-orbital advancement would decrease the frequency of incomplete ossification. Methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed consecutive children who underwent fronto-orbital advancement for craniosynostosis between 1988 and 2006. In group I, cranial gaps resulting from frontal advancement were left open and allowed to heal spontaneously. In group II, corticocancellous particulate bone was used to fill the calvarial defects. Bone was harvested from the endocortex of the frontal segments or parietal calvaria using a hand-driven brace and bit. Outcome variables were persistent osseous defects and need for corrective cranioplasty. Results: The study included 213 children. There were 50 patients in group I: mean age at fronto-orbital advancement was 7.0 months (range, 2 to 15 months); 12 patients (24 percent) had residual defects and 10 (20 percent) required cranioplasty. Group II contained 163 patients: mean age at fronto-orbital advancement was 14.1 months (range, 6 to 72 months); nine children (5.5 percent) had a cranial defect and five (3.1 percent) required cranioplasty. Infants in group II were less likely to have bony defects (p = 0.0005) or require cranioplasty (p = 0.0002) compared with children in group I, despite being older at the time of fronto-orbital advancement (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Corticocancellous cranial particulate bone grafting during fronto-orbital advancement reduces the prevalence of osseous defects and the need for secondary cranioplasty, independent of patient age.