title: Increases in Cranial Volume with Posterior Cranial Vault Distraction in 31 Consecutive Cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Posterior cranial vault distraction (PCVD) is a technique widely used in surgical treatment of craniosynostosis when cranial expansion is required. It has proven to be safe and to allow a significant increase of intracranial volume.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate increases in intracranial volume as a result of PCVD performed in Oulu Craniofacial center using 2 different methods based on 3-dimensional (3-D) photogrammetric imaging or plain skull radiographs.
  
  
  METHODS
  All children less than 16 yr of age who were treated by PCVD (n = 31) from 2009 to 2015 at the Oulu Craniofacial Center were included. All patients were followed at outpatient clinics with plain radiographs performed for follow-up. In 5 patients, additional 3-D photogrammetric imaging was done pre- and postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean intracranial volume increase was 25.0%, ranging from 16.9% to 39.4%. In 5 patients, the increase in volume was calculated from the photogrammetric 3-D images comprising a mean of 17.4%. Volume calculations from cephalograms in the same patients gave a mean of 20.8%. Whether the distraction was a primary operation or patient had undergone previous cranioplasty did not influence the achieved volumetric results. There were no statistically significant differences in the distraction results between different diagnostic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCVD is an effective surgical method to increase intracranial volume in a variety of clinical entities. Volumetric results of this procedure could be easily evaluated using 3-D photogrammetric imaging or plane radiographs that expose the patients to only low ionizing radiation doses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Surgical Research Group, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Niina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salokorpi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Ville
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vuollo
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Children and Adolescent, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|PEDEGO Research Group, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha-Jaakko
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sinikumpu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Burdenko Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Satanin
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: Heleia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nestal Zibo
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Tissue Engineering and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Leena P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ylikontiola
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Orthodontics, Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Pertti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pirttiniemi
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Tissue Engineering and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Sándor
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Children and Adolescent, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|PEDEGO Research Group, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Serlo
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010780:Photogrammetry / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Cephalometry; Craniofacial abnormalities; Craniosynostoses; Distraction; Photogrammetry