Why Is Cranioplasty Done ?

: Admin : 2021-11-03

The brain is protected within the skull or the cranium. Cranioplasty is a surgical procedure to restore normal functions of the brain. Patients who have had a head injury, suffer from headaches and neurological disorders.  Cranioplasty helps to balance normal intracranial pressure, regulate cerebral blood circulation along with cerebrospinal fluid proportion and enhance or revive the neurological function in patients who have suffered from a head injury. 

Cranioplasty originates from greek word cranium meaning skull and plasty means to restructure or graft a broken bone that causes trauma to the surrounding tissues. The surgery is meant to mould and reshape skull with a therapeutic purpose to protect vital functions of brain. Brain is anchored by strong bone ingraft that acts as a shield, a protective barrier preventing its damage to restore its physiology.

Patients are advised to follow the diagnostic investigations, in the form of  CT scan and MRI, to study the extent of damage or defect on the cranium, prior the surgery is scheduled. Anesthesia is given to the patient before the incision is made on the scalp. The cranial defect is now visualized by the surgeon, soft tissues near the defect are removed to rectify the damaged parts. Cranioplasty material, a bone graft,  is positioned and implanted in the damaged area which is fastened or nailed with titanium plates and screws. The prosthetic graft has grilled holes that prevents accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid under the sutured defect. Later, the surrounding soft tissues, muscles and scalp are articulated to give the final closure to the surgical procedure. Patients are kept in intensive care unit under observation for one night to record neurological state of brain. A CT scan done post surgery notes the presentation of cranium with prosthetic graft that is now  harbouring and supporting the brain. The local site of incision is cleansed with the aid of antiseptics at periodical intervals to prevent infection. Once it is completely healed, the dressing is removed and patient is discharged from the hospital.

Although cranioplasty has risk to bacterial infection, hematoma and seizures, it is successfully done to repair a damaged defect in the cranium.