A Computational Framework to Predict Calvarial Growth: Optimising Management of Sagittal Craniosynostosis

Connor Cross; Roman H Khonsari; Giovanna Patermoster; Eric Arnaud; Dawid Larysz; Lars Kölby; David Johnson; Yiannis Ventikos; Mehran Moazen

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2022.913190

A Computational Framework to Predict Calvarial Growth: Optimising Management of Sagittal Craniosynostosis

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022 May 24:10:913190. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.913190. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Connor Cross¹, Roman H Khonsari^{2

3}, Giovanna Patermoster³, Eric Arnaud³, Dawid Larysz⁴, Lars Kölby⁵, David Johnson⁶, Yiannis Ventikos¹, Mehran Moazen¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
² Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Plastic Surgery, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, Craniofacial Surgery Unit, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
⁴ Department of Head and Neck Surgery for Children and Adolescents, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prof. St. Popowski Regional Specialized Children's Hospital, Olsztyn, Poland.
⁵ Department of Plastic Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁶ Oxford Craniofacial Unit, Oxford University Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Abstract

The neonate skull consists of several bony plates, connected by fibrous soft tissue called sutures. Premature fusion of sutures is a medical condition known as craniosynostosis. Sagittal synostosis, caused by premature fusion of the sagittal suture, is the most common form of this condition. The optimum management of this condition is an ongoing debate in the craniofacial community while aspects of the biomechanics and mechanobiology are not well understood. Here, we describe a computational framework that enables us to predict and compare the calvarial growth following different reconstruction techniques for the management of sagittal synostosis. Our results demonstrate how different reconstruction techniques interact with the increasing intracranial volume. The framework proposed here can be used to inform optimum management of different forms of craniosynostosis, minimising the risk of functional consequences and secondary surgery.

Keywords: biomechanics; calvarial bones; finite element method; sagittal synostosis; skull growth; sutures.