Pediatric Cranioplasty

Cranioplasty is the surgical correction of skull deformities or defects. Your child’s condition may be present at birth, or a result of trauma or a previous skull surgery. MedStar Health’s Cranioplasty team offers surgical treatment for complex problems of the skull. Our multidisciplinary team of neuro, plastic, craniofacial, and microvascular surgeons work together to achieve the best possible result for your child.

Depending on the type and severity of your child’s condition, our treatment strategy will differ. Examples of the conditions we treat include:

• Abnormal head shape: If your child’s head has an irregular or asymmetric appearance that is noticeable, such as at the forehead or temples, our team can help restore a normal shape to the head and face
• Missing bone: If the brain swells due to an accident or condition, part of your child’s skull may need to be removed to allow the brain to expand. Once it is replaced, you may notice a deformity. Our team can replace the bone with bone grafts or a cranial implant and restore soft tissue using microvascular or plastic surgical techniques
• Temporal hollowing: After a neurosurgical operation, the muscle in the area of the temple may atrophy or disappear. This can cause a hollowed-out look in your child’s temple. Our team can reconstruct the muscle and minimize the deformity.