<< Back to the abstract archive
Effect of Cranioplasty on Balance and Motor Coordination in a Model of Syndrome of the Trephined
Ryan Enslow BS, Caroline Gillespie BS, Jude Kluemper BS, Abdulaziz Elemosho MD, Hallie Harris BS MCR, James Orfila PhD, Paco Herson PhD, Kerry-Ann Mitchell MD-PhD
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
2025-01-10
Presenter: Ryan Enslow
Affidavit:
We certify that the work submitted is original and wholly conducted by the authors listed in the submission.
Director Name: Kerry-Ann Mitchell
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Basic Science Research
Abstract Category: Craniomaxillofacial
PURPOSE – Syndrome of the Trephined (SoT) involves neurological decline following segmental skull removal, such as in decompressive craniectomy (DC), which improves following cranioplasty. Cranioplasty repairs skull defects, protects the brain, improves aesthetics, and improves neurological function in SoT. This study uses a mouse model with DC to examine SoT's neurological impact and the role of cranioplasty timing after traumatic brain injury (TBI).
METHODS - Adult C57BL/6 mice underwent craniectomy, with the calvarial bone cryopreserved and replaced 2 weeks later in two of four groups. Groups included: 1) cranioplasty (CP), 2) no cranioplasty (NCP), 3) TBI+cranioplasty (TBI+CP), and 4) TBI+ no cranioplasty (TBI+NCP). Balance and fine motor coordination were assessed via balance beam testing at baseline and 1-10 weeks post-surgery.
RESULTS – As expected, all groups showed early postoperative motor deficits. By week 4, the CP group nearly returned to baseline, while the NCP group continually declined with more slips from weeks 4–10 (p < 0.02). After week 5, the NCP and TBI+NCP groups had similar slips, demonstrating the impact of cranioplasty. TBI groups fared worse than non-TBI groups, regardless of cranioplasty. Interestingly, TBI+CP mice had more slips than TBI+NCP for 5 of 8 weeks, peaking at week 8 (p = 0.0086).
CONCLUSION – This study highlights cranioplasty's role in improving balance and motor coordination in SoT, particularly without TBI. However, in TBI cases, premature cranioplasty worsened outcomes, likely due to unresolved brain swelling. Ongoing studies aim to determine optimal cranioplasty timing to enhance TBI recovery with SoT symptom improvement.
