title: Cranioplasty: cosmetic or therapeutic?
abstract: Cranioplasty is among the oldest surgical procedures. Trauma, infections, tumors and compression caused by brain edema are some of the reasons for the removal of bone. The indications for cranioplasty after resolution of the primary process that led to the bone defect were never well defined, and many were the "cosmetic" indications for cranioplasty. However, there are many theories suggesting that an underlying physiological alteration may occur which may require the correction of the bone defect; many patients improve after surgery. We discuss the physiopathological basis of the "syndrome of the trephined" and try to achieve a better understanding of the present status of cranioplasty and its possible therapeutic role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dujovny
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aviles
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Charbel
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D012886:Skull / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013518:Surgery, Plastic