Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of fronto-orbit reconstruction surgery on pediatric metopic synostosis via an image-based 3D reconstruction in Chinese population.

Methods

Thirty pediatric metopic synostosis patients who received fronto-orbital reconstruction surgery in the Children’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, from January 2007 to December 2018 were analyzed in the study. Here we use the Mimics 20.0 software to reconstruct patients’ cranial thin-section CT scan images from pre- and post-operation and control groups. Then the data of intracranial volume, frontal volume, orbital hypertelorism, ECA, ZF, and ORA were analyzed using the paired t-test or Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test.

Results

The age of these patients was 15.83 ± 16.12 months. After surgery, the mean frontal volume was enlarged from 92.75 ± 26.97 to 138.62 ± 47.97 cm³ (P < 0.0001), and the intracranial volume was enhanced from 976.87 ± 230.83 to 1059.44 ± 217.98 cm³ (P < 0.0001). In the meantime, the ECA was changed from 108.02 ± 8.17 to 134 ± 5.59° (P < 0.0001). In line with the alteration of the parameters mentioned above, the head shapes in all patients were also significantly improved after the surgery with no obvious complications.

Conclusion

Fronto-orbit reconstruction surgery is a safe and effective treatment for pediatric metopic synostosis. Computer-aided 3D reconstruction could serve as a quantitative strategy to evaluate the efficacy of craniofacial surgery.