Extensive Convexity Flattening of a Synthetic Skull Implant the Overcome Major Scalp Deficiency After Multiple Craniotomies.

Abstract

Multiple craniofacial surgeries and postoperative recalcitrant infections frequently can lead to secondary scalp tissue scarring and skin retraction. Although there are different methods of reducing and optimizing scalp skin tension, the authors describe a last resort treatment method of cranioplastic procedure, which despite of its unfavorable cosmetic outcome, relieves the skin tension through extensive flattening of the polyetheretherketone curvature. Thereby, a custom-made cranioplastic bone flap was extensively flattened in the curvature of the fronto-parietal area with consideration of the related brain hemisphere extension. The extent of bone curvature flatting reduced the skin tension significantly and allowed for plain and simple tension-free wound closure in a chronic smoker patient with poor skin quality and brain atrophy. Although brain extension was sufficient, the cosmetic outcome was unfavorable with regard to skull symmetry, but well accepted and satisfactory for the patient due to preoperative discussion outcome expectation from surgery. Thus, extensive polyetheretherketone curvature flattening is a straightforward and simple last resort treatment option for tension-free skin closure in high-risk patients with extensive skin scarring and retraction and previous reconstructive plastic skin relief procedures. However, this method is limited in patients with normal brain hemisphere extension.