Infant ossified cephalohematoma: a review of the surgical management and technical update

Abstract

Cephalohematoma is a subperiosteal collection of blood above the skull. It is associated with operative and prolonged deliveries. In most cases the hematoma spontaneously resolves in a short span of time, usually within one month. In a few cases cephalohematoma can become ossified and require surgical treatment. Traditional belief that ossified cephalohematomas are an exclusively cosmetic issue has been called into question by recent description of EEG anomalies associated to a calcified cephalohematoma. We review relevant surgical literature, and we describe a novel variant of Wong's Radial Cap technique by foregoing healthy bone margin removal, removing the cephalohematoma lamellae in a stepwise fashion and using resorbable plaques for fixation. We furthermore review the rationale, timing and step-by-step execution of the procedure. An exemplary case description is discussed.