Utilization of Carbonated Calcium Phosphate Cement for Contouring Cranioplasty in Patients with Syndromic Craniosynostosis

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Carbonated calcium phosphate (CCP) cement is an alloplastic material which has been increasingly utilized for cranioplasty reconstruction, however there is a paucity of data investigating its use in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis. The purpose of this study was to characterize our institutional experience with CCP cement for secondary contouring cranioplasty in these patients to establish safety and aesthetic efficacy. Methods Patients with syndromic craniosynostosis undergoing cranioplasty with CCP cement from 2009-2022 were retrospectively reviewed for prior medical and surgical history, cranioplasty size, cement usage, and postoperative complications. Aesthetic ratings of the forehead region were quantified using the Whitaker scoring system at three time-points: preoperative (T1), < 6 months postoperative (T2), and > 1 year postoperative (T3). Results Twenty-one patients were included. Age at surgery was 16.2 ± 2.8 years, forehead cranioplasty area was 135 ± 112 cm2, and mass of cement was 17.2 ± 7.8 grams. Patients were followed for 3.0 ± 3.1 years. Whitaker scores decreased from 1.9 ± 0.4 at T1 to 1.4 ± 0.5 at T2 (p = 0.005). Whitaker scores at T2 and T3 were not significantly different (p = 0.720). Two infectious complications (9.5%) were noted, one at 4.5 months postoperatively and the other at 23 months, both requiring operative removal of CCP cement. Conclusion Our results suggest that aesthetic forehead ratings improve after CCP contouring cranioplasty and that the improvement is sustained in medium-term follow-up. Complications were uncommon, suggesting that CCP is relatively safe though longer-term follow-up is needed before reaching definitive conclusions.