title: Minimally Invasive Strip Craniectomy Simplifies Anesthesia Practice in Patients With Isolated Sagittal Synostosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional open corrective surgery for isolated sagittal synostosis entails significant blood loss, transfusion rates, morbidity, and a lengthy hospitalization. Minimally invasive strip craniectomy (MISC) was introduced to avoid the disadvantages of open techniques.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was, first, to compare the anesthesia practice in MISC and open extended strip craniectomy (OESC), and, second, to evaluate the incidence of perioperative complications in both surgical procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was conducted for all consecutive patients receiving either OESC or MISC for nonsyndromic isolated sagittal synostosis between January 2006 and February 2014. The primary endpoints were the volume of blood loss, the volume of infused blood products, the duration of surgery, the anesthesia time, the intubation time, and the length of admission to high care units and the hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In MISC, the median duration of surgery (90 versus 178 min.), anesthesia time (178 versus 291 min), and intubation time (153 versus 294 min) were all significantly (P < 0.001) shorter than in OESC. Intraoperative blood loss was less in MISC than in OESC (3.8 versus 29.7 mL/kg, P < 0.001), requiring less crystalloids (33.3 versus 76.9 mL/kg, P < 0.001) as well as less erythrocyte transfusions (0.0 versus 19.7 mL/kg, P < 0.001) in a smaller number of patients (2/20 versus 13/15). The improved hemodynamic stability in MISC allowed for placement of less arterial and central venous catheters. After OESC all 15 patients were admitted to high care units, compared with 9 of 20 in MISC. The overall median hospital stay was shorter in MISC than in OESC (4 versus 6 d, P < 0.001). Although the incidence of technical complications was similar in both techniques, patients in MISC were less affected by perioperative electrolyte and acid-base disturbances and postoperative pyrexia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minimally invasive strip craniectomy simplifies anesthesia practice relative to OESC with shorter operative times, decreased needs for replacement fluids and blood products, lessened requirements for invasive monitoring, and reduced demands for postoperative high care beds.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery†Department of Neurosurgery‡Department of Anesthesia, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Daan P F
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: van Nunen
authors.forename: Bart M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Stubenitsky
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Woerdeman
authors.forename: Kuo Sen
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Corstiaan C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Breugem
authors.forename: Aebele B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mink van der Molen
authors.forename: Jurgen C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Graaff
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000601:surgery*; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome