Jonathan A Britto1, Ivo Gwanmesia, David Leshem. 1. The Craniofacial Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH, UK. j.britto@doctors.org.uk
Abstract
PURPOSE: Craniosynostosis of the coronal, metopic and frontosphenoidal sutures results in deformity of the forehead. This may cause both functional and psychological difficulties for patient and parent. We describe a novel surgical technique, the 'Christmas tree foreheadplasty', used in combination with a supraorbital bandeau to achieve fronto-orbital remodelling. METHODS:Between November 2008 and September 2011, 32 patients with craniosynostosis underwent fronto-orbital remodelling with a supraorbital bandeau in combination with Christmas tree foreheadplasty. Indications for surgery, age at surgery, blood transfusion requirements, length of hospital stay and perioperative complications were assessed. A 'blinded', independent reviewer, age-matched controlled, panel photograph study was also undertaken to review results of the surgery. A parental satisfaction survey by telephone questionnaire was undertaken. RESULTS: Mean age at surgery was 16 months. Average hospital stay was 3 days. Mean follow up time to this report was 19.5 months. Indications for the procedure included unicoronal, frontosphenoidal, metopic and bicoronal synostosis. Thirty of the 32 patients required a blood transfusion. One patient has required revision surgery following extrusion of prosthetic fixation plate. Surgical outcome measured by 'blinded' independent reviewers indicated that a significantly different preoperative score from normal was rendered to no significant difference from age-matched normal controls postoperatively. Parental satisfaction score of forehead appearance was significantly improved by the technique. CONCLUSION: The Christmas tree foreheadplasty is a commendable and reproducible technique for forehead remodelling in combination with supraorbital bandeau and is now used more widely for forehead reconstruction for congenital cases.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE:Craniosynostosis of the coronal, metopic and frontosphenoidal sutures results in deformity of the forehead. This may cause both functional and psychological difficulties for patient and parent. We describe a novel surgical technique, the 'Christmas tree foreheadplasty', used in combination with a supraorbital bandeau to achieve fronto-orbital remodelling. METHODS: Between November 2008 and September 2011, 32 patients with craniosynostosis underwent fronto-orbital remodelling with a supraorbital bandeau in combination with Christmas tree foreheadplasty. Indications for surgery, age at surgery, blood transfusion requirements, length of hospital stay and perioperative complications were assessed. A 'blinded', independent reviewer, age-matched controlled, panel photograph study was also undertaken to review results of the surgery. A parental satisfaction survey by telephone questionnaire was undertaken. RESULTS: Mean age at surgery was 16 months. Average hospital stay was 3 days. Mean follow up time to this report was 19.5 months. Indications for the procedure included unicoronal, frontosphenoidal, metopic and bicoronal synostosis. Thirty of the 32 patients required a blood transfusion. One patient has required revision surgery following extrusion of prosthetic fixation plate. Surgical outcome measured by 'blinded' independent reviewers indicated that a significantly different preoperative score from normal was rendered to no significant difference from age-matched normal controls postoperatively. Parental satisfaction score of forehead appearance was significantly improved by the technique. CONCLUSION: The Christmas tree foreheadplasty is a commendable and reproducible technique for forehead remodelling in combination with supraorbital bandeau and is now used more widely for forehead reconstruction for congenital cases.