Surgical Management of Calcified Cephalohematoma in Infants.

AIM: To investigate the patients diagnosed with calcified cephalic hematoma who underwent surgery at our clinic, and to review the critical aspects of surgical management.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

This study retrospectively reviewed calcified cephalic hematoma patients who underwent surgery between January 2021 and December 2023.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients with calcified cephalic hematoma who received surgical treatment were enrolled in the study (four (26.7%) female and 11 (73.3%) male). The mean age at operation was 3.5±1.9 months (min?max: 2?10). The mean follow-up duration was 23.3±9.5 months. Patients operated on at ages ?3 months (n=10, 66.7%) and > 3 months (n=5, 33.3%) were categorised into two separate groups. The calcified cephalic hematoma was detected in the parietal region in 14 patients and in the occipital region in one patient. All patients presented with complaints of scalp swelling. Furthermore, 13 (86.7%) patients underwent complicated deliveries, and two (13.3%) experienced postpartum trauma. Three patients experienced postoperative complications, including wound infection, subgaleal hematoma and epileptic seizure; blood transfusion was required in five patients (33.3%). Of note, all the patients with postoperative blood requirements were operated on at ?3 months age.

CONCLUSION

Calcified cephalohematoma is an uncommon but serious condition that can cause significant asymmetry of the infant skull. The surgical technique employed in this study exhibited a low rate of complications and effectively restored regular cranial contours, particularly in patients with Type 1 calcified cephalohematoma and those with Type 2 calcified cephalohematoma accompanied by mild cranial depression. It was concluded that patients with calcified cephalic hematoma could be safely operated on during the first three months following birth. Nevertheless, caution should be taken regarding postoperative haemorrhage and the requirement for erythrocyte suspension replacement.