The trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis for 22 cases of craniosynostosis: a new, easy, safe, and efficient method in craniosynostosis surgery.

BACKGROUND

Distraction osteogenesis for the treatment of craniosynostosis is becoming more widely used as it is simple, there are less transfusions, and a decreased incidence of complications, although a secondary procedure for the removal of the distractors is necessary. However, to date all previous procedures have still been complicated. The authors present a novel trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis method (TSuDO) for the treatment of all types of craniosynostosis.

METHODS

The TSuDO consisted of simple suturectomy of the pathologic suture followed by direct distraction of the suturectomy site only. Types of TSuDO conducted were sagittal TSuDO in 6 patients, coronal TSuDO in 5 patients, unilateral coronal TSuDO in 8 patients, lambdoid TSuDO in 2 patients, and metopic TSuDO in 1 patient (total = 22). Mean age was 9.3 ± 12.7 months.

RESULTS

The mean operation time was 143.6 ± 50.2 min, and mean total transfusion volume of blood components was 131.1 ± 78.3 ml. Immediate correction of the abnormal head contour after distraction was observed in all patients, and no complications were encountered except for 1 patient whose distractor malfunctioned and 2 who showed prolonged discharges from the pin sites (controlled by antibiotics).

CONCLUSION

TSuDO is a simple, effective, and safe method for the treatment of all types of craniosynostosis, and is especially effective for the correction of unilateral coronal craniosynostosis.