Anterior Skull Base and Pericranial Flap Ossification after Frontofacial Monobloc Advancement

This study aimed to assess the postoperative ossification of the anterior skull base and pedicled flaps following frontofacial monobloc advancement, and to identify factors influencing this ossification. Methods: Measurements of the skull base only and of the ossified pedicled flaps together with the skull base were performed on computed tomographic scans at the nasofrontal and the nasoethmoid frontal junctions. The total thickness of the skull vault was measured and a qualitative defect score for the anterior skull base was computed. Results: Twenty-two patients who underwent frontofacial monobloc advancement at a median age of 3.1 years (range, 1.9 to 3.6 years) were included: 14 with Crouzon, five with Pfeiffer, and three with Apert syndrome. One year and 5 years after surgery, the distraction gap was completely ossified in the anterior skull base midline in all patients. Ossified pedicled flaps together with the skull base were thicker in patients than in controls at these two time points (p
Source: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Category: Cosmetic Surgery Tags: Pediatric/Craniofacial: Original Articles Source Type: research