The possibility of simultaneous combined skin grafting during the installation of synthetic implants after cranial trepanation

Abstract

Introduction. Over the past 20 years, with an increase in the number of decompression trepanations in the Russian Federation and abroad, the number of cranioplasties performed has increased. Despite the development of technology, these surgical interventions are inevitably accompanied by a number of complications (up to 36 %), including the for‑ mation of skin defects. The choice of the optimal algorithm for the treatment of skin defects after cranioplasty remains the subject of debate.The purpose of the publication is to demonstrate by a clinical example the possibility of simultaneous combined skin grafting during the installation of synthetic implants after cranial trepanation, as well as to analyze the outcomes and com‑ plications of such operations.Materials and methods. For the period 2017–2019 under our supervision there were 42 patients after craniotomy, 32 of which were cranioplasty, and 10 plastic surgery of the defects of the scalp after removal of synthetic implants. In the course of the analysis, the structure and terms of surgical interventions, the length of hospitalization, the frequen‑ cy and structure of complications, as well as the timing of their development were studied.The article presents one of the cases of treatment and simultaneous installation of a titanium plate, combined skin grafting in a patient who has undergone previously decompressive craniotomy, cranioplasty with protacryl.Results. Simultaneous cranioplasty with skin grafting was performed in 3 out of 42 patients. The average hospitalization time after such an intervention was significantly less than with two‑stage plastic surgery (28.0 ± 3.9 and 52.0 ± 2.7 days, respectively, p <0.05). There were no complications in the postoperative period after a single‑stage plastic surgery, but after a two‑stage one, 2 cases of divergence of the wound edges and the formation of fistulas above the implants were registered.Conclusion. The data obtained illustrate that, given the technical feasibility, as well as the satisfactory condition of the skin flap, simultaneous cranioplasty with combined skin grafting can be one of the methods of choice in the treat‑ ment of extensive defects in the skin of the head and skull.