Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Long-term follow-up of cryopreservation with glycerol of autologous bone flaps for cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy

  • Clinical Article - Neurosurgical Techniques
  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Autologous bone flaps adequately preserved can be used successfully for repair of cranial bone defects with biological and economic advantages. However, the effect or advantages of cryopreservation of autologous bone flaps using cryoprotectant solutions have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of autologous bone flaps frozen with glycerol in cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy.

Methods

We evaluated postoperative complications and clinical and aesthetic results in 40 consecutive patients who underwent delayed cranioplasty using autologous bone flaps frozen with glycerol following decompressive craniectomy between 2001 and 2010. Bone flaps removed at the time of external decompression were dipped in 20 % glycerol solution with a sterilized plastic vessel and stored at −84 °C in an ultra-low temperature freezer. The bone flaps were thawed in the vessel at room temperature for 12 h. The bone flaps were taken out of melting glycerol, replaced in their original positions, and fixed with silk sutures or titanium plates. Follow-up periods ranged from 35 to 3745 days (median, 558 days).

Results

Mild resorption of the bone flap occurred in one case. However, there were no cases with local infection and no cases requiring reoperation for complications during the follow-up period.

Conclusions

Cryopreservation with glycerol is a simple and safe method for preservation of autologous bone grafts. The clinical and aesthetic results of delayed cranioplasty using autologous bone flaps frozen with glycerol solution were satisfactory.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Asano Y, Ryuke Y, Hasuo M, Simosawa S (1993) Cranioplasty using cryopreserved autogenous bone [Article in Japanese]. No To Shinkei 45(12):1145–1150

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Chang V, Hartzfeld P, Langlois M, Mahmood A, Seyfried D (2010) Outcomes of cranial repair after craniectomy. J Neurosurg 112(5):1120–1124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Cheng YK, Weng HH, Yang JT, Lee MH, Wang TC, Chang CN (2008) Factors affecting graft infection after cranioplasty. J Clin Neurosci 15(10):1115–1119

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Farrant J (1980) General observations on cell preservation. In: Ashwood-Smith MJ, Farrant J (eds) Low temperature preservation in medicine and biology. Pitman Medical Limited, Kent, pp 1–18

    Google Scholar 

  5. Giovani AM, Croci AT, Oliveira CR, Filippi RZ, Santos LA, Maragni GG, Albhy TM (2006) Comparative study of cryopreserved bone tissue and tissue preserved in a 98% glycerol solution. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 61(6):565–570

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Gooch MR, Gin GE, Kenning TJ, German JW (2009) Complications of cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy: analysis of 62 cases. Neurosurg Focus 26(6):E9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hanslick JL, Lau K, Noguchi KK, Olney JW, Zorumski CF, Mennerick S, Farber NB (2009) Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) produces widespread apoptosis in the developing central nervous system. Neurobiol Dis 34(1):1–10

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Inamasu J, Kuramae T, Nakatsukasa M (2010) Does difference in the storage method of bone flaps after decompressive craniectomy affect the incidence of surgical site infection after cranioplasty? Comparison between subcutaneous pocket and cryopreservation. J Trauma 68(1):183–187

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Iwama T, Yamada J, Imai S, Shinoda J, Funakoshi T, Sakai N (2003) The use of frozen autogenous bone flaps in delayed cranioplasty revisited. Neurosurgery 52(3):591–596

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Lochte HL Jr, Ferrebee JW, Thomas ED (1959) In vitro studies on the preservation of marrow cells in glycerol at low temperatures. J Lab Clin Med 53(1):117–126

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Mase J, Mizuno H, Okada K, Sakai K, Mizuno D, Usami K, Kagami H, Ueda M (2006) Cryopreservation of cultured periosteum: effect of different cryoprotectants and pre-incubation protocols on cell viability and osteogenic potential. Cryobiology 52(2):182–192

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Matsuno A, Tanaka H, Iwamuro H, Takanashi S, Miyawaki S, Nakashima M, Nakaguchi H, Nagashima T (2006) Analyses of the factors influencing bone graft infection after delayed cranioplasty. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 148(5):535–540

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Mazur P, Leibo SP, Chu EH (1972) A two factor hypothesis of freezing injury. Exp Cell Res 71(2):345–355

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Movassaghi K, Ver Halen J, Ganchi P, Amin-Hanjani S, Mesa J, Yaremchuk MJ (2006) Cranioplasty with subcutaneously preserved autologous bone grafts. Plast Reconstr Surg 117(1):202–206

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Nagayama K, Yoshikawa G, Somekawa K, Kohno M, Segawa H, Sano K, Shiokawa Y, Saito I (2002) Cranioplasty using the patient’s autogenous bone preserved by freezing—an examination of post-operative infection rates [Article in Japanese]. No Shinkei Geka 30(2):165–169

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Rowley SD (1992) Hematopoietic stem cell cryopreservation: a review of current techniques. J Hematother 1(3):233–250

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Shimizu S, Morikawa A, Kuga Y, Mouri G, Murata T (2002) Cranioplasty using autogenous bone cryopreserved with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)[Article in Japanese]. No Shinkei Geka 30(5):479–485

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Shoakazemi A, Flannery T, McConnell RS (2009) Long-term outcome of subcutaneously preserved autologous cranioplasty. Neurosurgery 65(3):505–510

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Zingale A, Albanese V (2003) Cryopreservation of autogeneous bone flap in cranial surgical practice: what is the future? A grade B and evidence level 4 meta-analytic study. J Neurosurg Sci 47(3):137–139

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan

    Hiroaki Takeuchi, Yoshifumi Higashino, Tetsuya Hosoda, Shinsuke Yamada, Hidetaka Arishima, Toshiaki Kodera, Ryuhei Kitai & Ken-ichiro Kikuta

Authors
  1. Hiroaki Takeuchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yoshifumi Higashino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tetsuya Hosoda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shinsuke Yamada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hidetaka Arishima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Toshiaki Kodera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ryuhei Kitai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Ken-ichiro Kikuta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroaki Takeuchi.

Ethics declarations

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study formal consent is not required.

Funding

No funding was received for this research.

Conflict of interest

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Takeuchi, H., Higashino, Y., Hosoda, T. et al. Long-term follow-up of cryopreservation with glycerol of autologous bone flaps for cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy. Acta Neurochir 158, 571–575 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-015-2679-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-015-2679-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation