Development of the neurocranium after transsutural fixing by new, resorbable poly-L-lactide miniplates. A comparison to fixing with the common titanium miniplates.

The right coronal sutures of twelve (12) newborn rabbits were fixed with commercially available, self-reinforced poly-L-lactide miniplates, with eight (8) rabbits sham treated with titanium miniplate fixation as reference experiments, in order to demonstrate the possible effects on skull growth. After six (6) months follow-up, both types of plate were detected to have caused a similar asymmetry in the neurocranium. Therefore, in our opinion, fixing across growing sutures, even with the new biodegradable devices, should be avoided.