The Trans-Sutural Distraction Osteogenesis for 22 Cases of Craniosynostosis: A New, Easy, Safe, and Efficient Method in Craniosynostosis Surgery

Abstract

Background: Distraction osteogenesis for the treatment of craniosynostosis is becoming more widely used as it is simple, there are less transfusions, and a decreased incidence of complications, although a secondary procedure for the removal of the distractors is necessary. However, to date all previous procedures have still been complicated. The authors present a novel trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis method (TSuDO) for the treatment of all types of craniosynostosis. Methods: The TSuDO consisted of simple suturectomy of the pathologic suture followed by direct distraction of the suturectomy site only. Types of TSuDO conducted were sagittal TSuDO in 6 patients, coronal TSuDO in 5 patients, unilateral coronal TSuDO in 8 patients, lambdoid TSuDO in 2 patients, and metopic TSuDO in 1 patient (total = 22). Mean age was 9.3 ± 12.7 months. Results: The mean operation time was 143.6 ± 50.2 min, and mean total transfusion volume of blood components was 131.1 ± 78.3 ml. Immediate correction of the abnormal head contour after distraction was observed in all patients, and no complications were encountered except for 1 patient whose distractor malfunctioned and 2 who showed prolonged discharges from the pin sites (controlled by antibiotics). Conclusion: TSuDO is a simple, effective, and safe method for the treatment of all types of craniosynostosis, and is especially effective for the correction of unilateral coronal craniosynostosis.