Comparative Study of Complications After Early and Late Cranioplasty in Kerman Shahid Bahonar Hospital, 2015-2018: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Cranioplasty after craniotomy is done to repair the skull and in some cases decompressive craniectomy is performed. Previous studies showed that the incidence of complications after cranioplasty is associated with the time of occurrence. The aim of this study was to compare the rate of complications between early cranioplasty (EC) and late cranioplasty (LC) in craniectomy patients in Kerman Shahid Bahonar Hospital, 2015-2018.

In a retrospective cohort study, patients’ records were studied and the subjects were matched for age and sex. Then, frequency of complications was compared between patients with EC (n=45) and LC (n=46). Data analysis was applied in SPSS V25.

There were no significant differences between the two groups in age and sex  P= 0.846 and P= 0.185, respectively). The most common indication for craniotomy was subdural hemorrhage and the most common complication was hematoma. No significant association was found between the indication for surgery and type of cranioplasty (P=0.493). The two groups did not have significant differences in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score before and after the surgery (P=0.841 and P=0.148, respectively) and were found to be similar in frequency of complications (P>0.05), including hematoma (three cases in each group), hydrocephalus (two cases in EC and one case in LC), and wound healing impairment (two cases in EC).

According to current study, neurosurgeons, depending on the patient's condition, can use either EC or LC.