Failure of autologous bone-assisted cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy in children and adolescents

Object. The authors have routinely performed primary autologous cranioplasty to repair skull defects after decompressive craniectomy. The high rates of subsequent bone resorption occurring in children prompted this study. Methods. In an institutional review, the authors identified 40 (32 male and eight female) children and adolescents ranging from 4 months to 19 years of age in whom autologous cranioplasty was performed after decompressive craniectomy. The defect surface area ranged from 14 to 147 cm(2). In all cases, the bone was fresh frozen at the time of the decompression. Symptomatic bone resorption subsequently occurred in 20 children (50%) in all of whom reoperation was required. The incidence of bone resorption significantly correlated with an increased skull defect area (p < 0.025). No significant correlation was found with age, sex, or anatomical location of the skull defect, number of fractured bone fragments, presence of a shunt, cause for decompressive craniectomy, method of duraplasty, or interval between the craniectomy and the cranioplasty. Reoperation to repair the resorbed autologous bone was performed 2 to 76 months after the initial procedure. Conclusions. The use of autologous bone to reconstruct skull defects in pediatric patients after decompressive craniectomy is associated with a high incidence of bone resorption. The use of autologous bone should be reevaluated in light of the high rate of reoperation in this pediatric population.