POLYGLYCOLIC ACID MEMBRANE INTERPOSITIONING FOR THE PREVENTION OF SKULL DEFORMITY FOLLOWING EXPERIMENTAL CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS

The interpositioning of various materials to complete suturectomy for the treatment of craniosynostosis has been used by many surgeons to pr event early postoperative reunion. Clear scientific proof for this pro cedure has not yet been obtained with any material, however. A previou sly described model of experimental craniosynostosis was employed to e xamine the effects of an interpositioned biodegradable polyglycolic ac id (PGA) membrane on the growing skull of 14 newborn rabbits. Addition al 11 newborn rabbits served as controls, as on their skulls only unil ateral resection of the coronal suture was performed (experimental cra niosynostosis). The skulls were examined for shape and histology up to 6 months of age. The 11 rabbits in the control group developed a unil ateral deformity on their calvaria as demonstrated by dry-skull osteom etry. The 14 rabbit skulls having the interpositioning of a PGA membra ne done into the resection site at the time of unilateral suturectomy were found to have grown in a remarkably symmetrical fashion. The inte rpositioning of a PGA membrane therefore seems to prevent the formatio n of a skull deformity during growth as compared with early suturectom y alone.