Cranial reconstruction with titanium mesh for open depressed skull fracture in children: Reports of two cases with long-term observation

Abstract

In the treatment of open depressed skull fracture in pediatric cases, it is preferable to use the patient’s own bone material rather than artificial material. However, there are occasions when self-material reconstruction may be impossible. In such cases the safe option is to leave the defect until future replacement of the skull becomes possible, however this often causes such children to experience severe limitations to school life. We present two thought-provoking cases in which we solved such issues by early stage cranioplasty using a titanium mesh. The first case involved a 9-year-old boy who sustained a depressed fracture in the right temporal region after fall-ing down a riverbank. Although he underwent surgical repair, bacterial infection forced removal of the bone flap postoperatively. His school life was severely restricted and sports activities were prohibited due to the residual regional bone defect. Cranial reconstruction with a titanium mesh made it possible for him to enjoy a more active lifestyle. The second case involved a 7-year-old boy who sustained a right frontal depressed fracture in a traffic accident. The fractured skull was promptly replaced by a titanium mesh at the initial surgery due to the extreme degree of bone fragmentation. Both boys returned to school life enjoying normal activities and without any compli-cations for up to 8 years now. The cases presented here indicate that early cranioplasty even using artificial material is not only safe but enables school age patients to participate in physical activities. From the standpoint of physical and psychological development, early stage cranioplasty with titanium mesh may be a valuable treatment option for pediatric open depressed skull fracture.