Dynamic osteodistraction with springs – the Gothenburg experience of spring-assisted cranioplasty

Authors

  • Peter Tarnow Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery, Gothenburg, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2282-0256
  • Giovanni Maltese Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Madiha Bhatti-Søfteland Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery, Gothenburg, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5569-0588
  • Karin Säljö Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery, Gothenburg, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2839-9362
  • Björn Holmström Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Robert Olsson Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Tobias Hallén Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Gothenburg, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3628-7686
  • Lars Kölby Department of Plastic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery, Gothenburg, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9808-5935

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/jphs.v60.43315

Keywords:

Craniosynostosis, osteodistraction, cranioplasty, spring-assisted surgery, spring-assisted cranioplasty

Abstract

Surgical treatment of craniosynostosis includes a wide range of techniques. Although a variety of more extensive cranioplasties have been employed to enhance outcomes, efforts to identify less invasive surgical approaches with better results continue. Since the introduction of springs as a tool for craniosynostosis surgery in 1997 at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, several studies have established their utility as an efficient surgical method. Because springs are currently used in the majority of our surgeries addressing craniosynostosis in children, this review summarizes our extensive experience with this method in more than 750 surgeries.

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Published

2025-04-22

How to Cite

Tarnow, P., Maltese, G., Bhatti-Søfteland, M., Säljö, K., Holmström, B., Olsson, R., … Kölby, L. (2025). Dynamic osteodistraction with springs – the Gothenburg experience of spring-assisted cranioplasty. Journal of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, 60(1), 91–95. https://doi.org/10.2340/jphs.v60.43315

Issue

Vol. 60 (2025)

Section

Review Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Peter Tarnow, Giovanni Maltese, Madiha Bhatti-Søfteland, Karin Säljö, Björn Holmström, Robert Olsson, Tobias Hallén, Lars Kölby

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Acta Chirurgica Scandinavica Society owns the copyright for all material published until Volume 57 (2023) unless otherwise specified. As from 2024 all published articles, unless otherwise specified, are published under CC-BY licences, allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, with the condition of proper attribution to the original work. 

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