Pediatric cranio-facial surgery. First-year's experience with a gun applying bioabsorbable tacks.

AIM: In 2001 a prototype of a gun to apply bioabsorbable tacks in cranio-facial surgery has been developed.

METHODS

From May 2001 to May 2002 this device has been used in the University Hospital of Innsbruck (Austria) for different cranioplasty procedures, in 34 children, showing its reliability for cranio-facial bone fixation. The children were affected by isolated craniosynostosis or by syndromical synostosis (Apert, Crouzon) and in a case of benign tumor of the parietal skull vault. The range of age, at the time of surgery, was between 3 months and 204 months of age. Bone segments were fixed using self-reinforced polylactide plates and tacks.

RESULTS

Firm fixation was obtained intra-operatively and the operative time was reduced about 25-30 minutes as compared to use of plates and screws. This device has just one limitation in its own spring force: sometimes the bone thinner than 1 mm has been broken applying the tacks.

CONCLUSION

After the first-year's experience it is possible to confirm that this device reduces, in selected cases, operative time, blood loss, risk of infection and, as a result, the costs.