title: Cranioplasty with a frozen and autoclaved bone flap.
abstract: 27 cases of cranioplasty with autogenous bone grafts stored in a deep-freezer and autoclaved before use are reported. The results of follow-up for an average period of one year were satisfactory from the standpoint of brain protection and cosmetic reconstruction. A small area of absorption of grafted bone was observed in two cases on the follow-up skull roentgenograms. No serious complications were seen except in one case, whose bone flap had to be removed due to an epidural abscess. Experiments revealed that deep-freezing and autoclaving had only minimal effects on bone structure, although osteocytes degenerated. Autogenous bone flap after deep-freezing is a useful material for cranioplasty but sterilization before use is indispensable. Autoclaving is a simple method for sterilization of the flap, available in any operating theatre. It does not increase the risk of postoperative complications such as infection or absorption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Aizawa Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ichinose
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012886:Skull / Q000601:surgery*; D013242:Sterilization; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*; D014021:Tissue Preservation