• Mark P Piedra, Eric M Thompson, Nathan R Selden, Brian T Ragel, and Daniel J Guillaume.
• Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
• J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2012 Oct 1;10(4):268-72.

ObjectThe object of this study was to determine if early cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy for elevated intracranial pressure in children reduces complications.MethodsSixty-one consecutive cases involving pediatric patients who underwent autologous cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy for raised intracranial pressure at a single academic children's hospital over 15 years were studied retrospectively.ResultsSixty-one patients were divided into early (< 6 weeks; 28 patients) and late (≥ 6 weeks; 33 patients) cranioplasty cohorts. The cohorts were similar except for slightly lower age in the early (8.03 years) than the late (10.8 years) cranioplasty cohort (p < 0.05). Bone resorption after cranioplasty was significantly more common in the late (42%) than the early (14%) cranioplasty cohort (p < 0.05; OR 5.4). No other complication differed in incidence between the cohorts.ConclusionsAfter decompressive craniectomy for raised intracranial pressure in children, early (< 6 weeks) cranioplasty reduces the occurrence of reoperation for bone resorption, without altering the incidence of other complications.

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