Spring-assisted minimally invasive repair of sagittal craniosynostosis

Neurosurg Focus Video. 2021 Apr 1;4(2):V8. doi: 10.3171/2021.1.FOCVID20103. eCollection 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Craniosynostosis surgery is intended to repair cranial deformity, reduce the risk of increased intracranial pressure from cephalocranial disproportion, and reduce the risk of developmental delays. In recent years, minimally invasive surgical techniques have been developed to achieve these goals with less tissue disruption, lower rates of transfusion, and shorter recovery time. The operation focuses on unlocking the fused bones, while reshaping relies on an adjunct, most commonly a postoperative cranial molding helmet. As an alternative to the care-intensive helmeting process, reshaping with implanted cranial expander springs has emerged. In this video, the authors demonstrate their technique for spring-assisted minimally invasive repair of sagittal craniosynostosis. The video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/513923721.

Keywords: cranial spring; craniofacial surgery; craniosynostosis; minimally invasive; pediatric neurosurgery.