Predictors of primary autograft cranioplasty survival and resorption after craniectomy

OBJECTIVECraniectomy is a common neurosurgical procedure that reduces intracranial pressure, but survival necessitates cranioplasty at a later stage, after recovery from the primary insult. Complications such as infection and resorption of the autologous bone flap are common. The risk factors for complications and subsequent bone flap removal are unclear. The aim of this multicenter, retrospective study was to evaluate the factors affecting the outcome of primary autologous cranioplasty, with special emphasis on bone flap resorption.METHODSThe authors identified all patients who underwent primary autologous cranioplasty at 3 tertiary-level university hospitals between 2002 and 2015. Patients underwent follow-up until bone flap removal, death, or December 31, 2015.RESULTSThe cohort comprised 207 patients with a mean follow-up period of 3.7 years (SD 2.7 years). The overall complication rate was 39.6% (82/207), the bone flap removal rate was 19.3% (40/207), and 11 patients (5.3%) died during the follow-up p...