This study aimed to evaluate the spontaneous recovery of bone deformity after surgical excision of craniofacial dermoid cysts in pediatrics. Pediatric patients who underwent excision of a dermoid cyst were included in the study. A prospective analysis was conducted to evaluate the amount of bone recovery by comparing the depth of bony concavity in the preoperative and postoperative (6 months) ultrasonography. In 145 of 187 patients with preoperative imaging available, the mean size of dermoid cysts was 1.4 cm3 (range, 0.1 to 9.5), and 41.4% (60/145 cases) showed cranial bone depression. In the comparison of preoperative and postoperative ultrasonography of 30 patients, the mean depth of bony cavity decreased significantly from 4.0 to 0.9 mm (p<0.001) after a mean of 6.7 months postoperatively. There was 13.3% (4/30) of mild (≤2.0 mm), 40.0% (12/30) of moderate (>2.0 to ≤4.0 mm), and 46.7% (14/30) of severe (>4.0 mm) depression, and the concavity depth significantly decreased in all groups (p = 0.028, mild; p<0.001, moderate; p<0.001 severe). Within the limitations of the study it seems that significant recovery of cranial bone depression does take place within 6 months after excision of craniofacial dermoid cysts in pediatric patients, saving the need for immediate reconstruction.
Keywords: Craniofacial; Dermoid cyst; Neoplasms; Pediatrics.
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