Use of Ultrasound in the Planning of Spring-Assisted Cranioplasty for Correction of Scaphocephaly

Abstract

Craniosynostosis describes the congenital, premature fusion of 1 or more cranial sutures. Prior studies have confirmed the ability of spring-assisted cranioplasty to expand the cranial vault in patients with craniosynostosis. Historically, preoperative planning for spring-assisted cranioplasty was performed using mainly computed tomography (CT). In particular, osteotomies were planned and bone thickness was measured to determine the gauge of spring required. Despite the benefits for presurgical planning, CT scans have several drawbacks including ionizing radiation to a newborn and increased healthcare expense. The authors describe a clinical case of using solely cranial ultrasonography in the preoperative planning of spring-assisted cranioplasty for a patient with scaphocephaly. Ultrasonography can be used as alternative means of measuring parietal bone thickness and preoperative planning for spring-assisted cranioplasty, while also decreasing the risk of ionizing radiation and minimizing healthcare costs.