The GETA technique: a novel technique protecting the dura against the distractors for early cranial expansion.

PURPOSE: Posterior cranial vault distraction profoundly enlarges intracranial volume. To perform this procedure during the first year of life, the cranium is too thin to fix the distractors. Sometimes, the screws penetrate the bone, which risks scratching the dura during distraction. To solve this problem, we developed an implant fixation technique using bioabsorbable screws and plates, and named it the GETA technique.

METHODS

In cases in which the bone is thinner than the screws, a resorbable sheet is placed between the bone and the dura to protect the dura from the tips of the screws.

RESULTS

We used this technique for cranial distraction in four patients, with satisfactory results and without complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The technique described here allows craniofacial surgeons to fix the distractors without injuring the dura.