RELIEF OF HEADACHE BY CRANIOPLASTY AFTER SKULL BASE SURGERY

Headache after skull base surgery can cause profound morbidity in cert ain patients, resulting in significant impairment of their quality of life. Several methods to prevent postoperative headache have been desc ribed, including a modification of the skin/muscle incision, replacing the craniotomy bone flap, replacing the bone flap and filling in the residual defect with methyl methacrylate, using hydroxyapatite cement (HAC) to fill the craniectomy defect, and wiring hardened methyl metha crylate (MMA) into the defect. Ten patients with severe headache follo wing craniectomy for a posterior fossa lesion underwent cranioplasty w ith MMA, which was placed exactly within the craniectomy defect and se : cured rigidly with miniplates and screws. The headache decreased in severity in all patients and resolved completely in 90%. Also, 78% of patients with dizziness improved. The procedure and its effect on head ache and dizziness wilt be described.