Dr. Szu-Ying Yen
3rd-year resident
Dr. Shih-Chiang Kuo
4th-year resident
Topic
Journal Club
Endoscopic Versus Open Craniosynostosis Repair: A Comparative Middle Eastern Analysis of Surgical, Perioperative, and Morphometric Outcomes at the Largest Regional Craniofacial Center
Long-Term Outcomes following Craniosynostosis Corrections: A 30-Year Retrospective
Endoscopic Versus Open Craniosynostosis Repair: A Comparative Middle Eastern Analysis of Surgical, Perioperative, and Morphometric Outcomes at the Largest Regional Craniofacial Center
This retrospective study compared endoscopic suturectomy with open cranial vault remodeling in 27 patients with craniosynostosis. Sixteen underwent endoscopic repair and 11 underwent open surgery. The endoscopic group was younger and had significantly shorter operative time, lower blood loss, shorter hospitalization, and no intensive care utilization. Both approaches produced significant improvements in cephalic index and cranial vault asymmetry index, with no major complications or reoperations. Despite the small cohort and age differences between groups, the findings suggest that early endoscopic treatment provides morphological correction comparable to open repair while substantially reducing perioperative morbidity and resource use.
Long-Term Outcomes following Craniosynostosis Corrections: A 30-Year Retrospective
This 30-year retrospective study evaluated 924 patients undergoing correction of single-suture craniosynostosis. Among 752 primary procedures, the secondary correction rate was 3.4%, occurring an average of 5.5 years later; 20% were identified only after skeletal maturity. Delayed primary surgery increased the likelihood of secondary intervention, whereas deliberate overcorrection reduced it. Perioperative outcomes were favorable, with a median hospital stay of two days, a transfusion rate of 7.5%, and a complication rate of 0.7%. Most patients demonstrated normal neurodevelopment. These findings emphasize early correction, appropriate overcorrection, and long-term follow-up extending through skeletal maturity.