Introduction to the focus session on posterior vault surgery in craniosynostosis.

ABSTRACT

Posterior cranial vault remodeling is a surgical procedure that is currently utilized in all craniofacial centers. It has a dual aim: a cosmetic and a functional one to correct the posterior flattening of the head and creating space for the underlying brain to develop. With the increasing use of the procedure in the last years, numerous variants of the technique have been developed, new different hardware have been introduced (distractors and springs), and new potential functional advantages are discussed, namely, those related to the cerebrovascular circulation and the cerebrospinal fluid movements. This focus session has been then proposed and organized to provide the state of art concerning the indications of posterior cranial vault remodeling operations and the analysis of the technical variants that characterize the use of the procedure in various pediatric neurosurgical centers throughout the world.