Free Fat Transplant Prevents Osseous Reunion of Skull Defects: A New Approach in the Treatment of Craniosynostosis

Free fat tissue transplant to correct premature epiphyseal fusion of long bones has been successfully used to prevent re-ossification after bone bridge resection. In the present study we have applied this principle in the prevention of osseous reunion of the bone defect in the calvaria of the rabbit. In two-week-old animals standard bone defects were made on both sides of the sagittal suture to the temporal bone. The dura was left intact. On the right side a free autogenous fat transplant was placed to fill the bone defect. On the left side the control defect was left without fat interposition. The skull defects were examined postoperatively at three weeks, three months, and eight months. The control defects reossified within three weeks. The bone defects with fat tissue transplant were found to be open and of original size at eight months postoperatively. On the transplanted side histological examination revealed living fat cells filling the gap. Osteogenesis was inhibited and reunion of the bone edges was prevented. All the control bone defects were filled by lamellar bone. The use of free fat tissue transplant can be a useful alternative, serving as a biological interposition material in the surgical treatment of craniosynostosis.