The Total Calvarial Remodeling with Transsutural Distraction Osteogenesis of 21 Cases of Craniosynostosis: New, Efficient, Safe and Natural Method in Craniosynostosis Surgery.

Background: The majority of the present distraction osteogenesis techniques involve local site expansion that only produces localized decompression and affords limited decompression and cosmetic results. We designed a new surgical procedure, total calvarial transsutural distraction osteogenesis (TSuDO).

Methods: We performed total calvarial TSuDO surgical procedures in 21 children. The total calvarial TSuDO method consisted of suturectomy and distraction for the sagittal, bicoronal and bilambdoid sutures.

Results: The mean surgery duration was 110 ± 16 min, the mean transfusion volume was 38 ± 45 ml, an average 4.1 ± 0.4 distractors were applied with a mean latency period of 3.3 ± 0.9 days. The mean activation period was 45 ± 18 days with a consolidation period of 54 ± 23 days. There were 3 complication cases of early removal of the distractors: 1 boy with transient 6th cranial nerve palsy accompanied by fever and 2 children with mild pus discharge from the distractor sites. Preoperative lumbar puncture pressures decreased significantly after distractor removal secondary to surgery (p < 0.001). The preoperative cranium size increased significantly (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Total calvarial TSuDO is a simple and safe procedure that may produce wide generalized decompression and good cranial configurations that most closely resemble normal skulls.