Bone flap resorption following cranioplasty in a cost-constrained scenario

Abstract

Bone flap resorption is an infrequently reported yet significant late complication of autologous bone cranioplasty. It requires serial imaging both to pick up and to monitor progression. Custom-made implants avoid this complication, but are expensive. In a resource-limited situation, when bone flaps placed in the abdomen undergo demineralisation and sutures are used to fix the flap as opposed to plates, where artificial cranial flap substitutes are prohibitively expensive and frequent postoperative imaging may not be feasible, prevention and management of this complication will continue to remain a problem.

Keywords:

• Bone flap resorption
• cranioplasty
• decompressive craniectomy
• flap mobility