Minimally invasive strip craniectomy for metopic craniosynostosis using a lighted retractor

Abstract

Surgical options for metopic craniosynostosis include the traditional open approach or a minimally invasive approach that typically involves an endoscopy-assisted strip craniectomy. The minimally invasive approach has been associated with less blood loss and operative time, a lower transfusion rate, and a shorter length of stay. Additionally, it is more cost-effective than open reconstruction, despite the need for a postoperative cranial orthosis and multiple follow-up visits. The authors describe a variation of the minimally invasive approach using a lighted retractor to perform a strip craniectomy of the metopic suture in a 2-month-old patient with metopic craniosynostosis. The video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/511237503.