Frontal bone advancement stability with or without microplate fixation: an experimental study in rabbits.

Recent advancements in surgical correction of coronal suture craniosynostosis involve the overcorrection of a frontal bone segment to allow unrestricted growth of the developing brain. However, problems with segment stability and collapse have been reported. Such problems may be alleviated with microplate fixation of the segments. The present experimental study tests this hypothesis in a growing rabbit frontal bone advancement model. Sixteen 6-week-old rabbits were divided into three groups, consisting of animals with short bone segments advanced with two bone struts and fixed with Vicryl, long bone segments advanced with one bone strut and fixed with Vicryl, or long bone segments advanced with one bone strut and fixed with microplates. Frontal bone advancement collapse was assessed from lateral x-rays through 12 weeks postoperatively. Animals with microplate fixation exhibited significantly (p less than 0.01) less collapse (about 1% height reduction) compared to animals with short segments (about 30%) and long segments (about 45%). These results support, with experimental evidence, the utility of rigid three-dimensional fixation afforded by the microplate system in overcoming the effects of cranial growth and scalp and epicranial musculature closing tensions.