Neurological Surgery
Craniosynostosis
In the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, recent advances have made surgery for children with craniosynostosis shorter and safer. Minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted craniosynostosis surgery utilizes a small camera to assist with removal of the abnormal bone that causes skull deformity through one or two one-inch incisions. The surgery is performed in one to two hours, children rarely need a blood transfusion, and they typically go home the next day. This is in striking contrast to the traditional approaches used to treat craniosynostosis at nearly all other centers in the Northeast.
Traditional approaches typically require a large incision across the top of the head from ear to ear, removal of a much larger amount of bone, and then reshaping and replacement of the removed bone. This surgical approach usually requires four to six hours, causes much more pain and swelling, requires a blood transfusion, and children remain in the hospital for about four to seven days. The key for success using the minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted approach is to intervene early, when the bone is thin. Removal of the prematurely closed suture (the abnormal bone) when the child is between two and six months of age allows the skull to develop a more normal shape as the child grows. The use of a helmet for six to 12 months after surgery helps facilitate this bone remodeling.
