Objective: This study is to investigate the effectiveness of philtrum repairment for-microform cleft lip, using muscle tension line group reconstruction. Methods: This is a retrospective study of 19 consecutively primary microform cleft lip repairment patients, from January 2015 to December 2017. All the patients were provided muscle tension line reconstruction (group 1) or traditional muscle repairment by horizontal mattress sutures (group 2). The philtral ridge and dimple were evaluated by scores. The statistical analyses were performed using unpaired t-test by Prism 6.0 software. Results: The philtral ridge score was higher in group 1 than group 2 (4.15±0.56 vs. 2.73±0.32, P<0.01). The philtral dimple score of group 1 increased either, when compared with group 2 (2.36±0.50 vs.1.45±0.28, P=0.0004). Conclusions Functional reconstruction of philtrum, using muscle tension line group repair, has satisfactory results in philtral ridge and philtral dimple.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure intracranial volumes in normal children of different ages and to explore the growth of intracranial volumes. Methods: A total of 151 normal children (male, 96; female, 55) were included in this study who were subjected to computed tomography (CT) for head trauma in the pediatric emergency room from June 1, 2015 to July 31, 2015. All of them had no congenital deformities and depressed fracture of the skull. Total, anterior, middle and posterior intracranial volumes were measured using a DICOM viewer. The Graphad Prism 6.0 was applied to analyze the data and plot the best fit logarithmic growth curve and liner regression and the comparison of the growth curves between different groups was done. Results: The intracranial volumes had a rapid growth within 2 years old. The girls′ total intracranial volumes were smaller than the boys′ of the same age. There was a significant difference of linear regression slope between anterior intracranial volumes and posterior intracranial volumes within 2 years old (P<0.01). Conclusions There is a rapid growth of intracranial volumes of normal children within 2 years old. The posterior intracranial volumes are expanded faster than the anterior intracranial volumes in the first two years. The girls′ intracranial volumes are smaller than the boys′.

Objective: To explore the effect of managing syndromic craniosynostosis using posterior vault distraction osteogenesis. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of four children with syndromic craniosynostosis treated between 2015 January to 2016 March using posterior vault distraction osteogenesis. The posterior craniotomy was performed from vertex, biparietally to a point above the occipital protuberance. Two distraction devices were fixed in the parasagittal, collinear position. After a latency of 3 days, the device was activated at 0.5 mm/day. After the distraction, the consolidation period was about 6 months. Results: The average distraction distance was 27.3 mm(range, 25 to 30 mm). Cerebrospinal fluid leak happened in one patient. After taken the 3D CT scan, all of them were undertaken the second operation of removing the distraction devices. All the patients were followed up at a mean of 12.8 months (range, 7 to 20 months). Conclusions It is effective to enlarge the posterior cranial vault using distraction osteogenesis for the syndromic craniosynostosis.

Objective: In clinical, cephalic index is the most common method to evaluate scaphocephaly. However, cephalic index alone is not sufficient to describe the nuances of skull shape. The authors hypothesize that the location of euryon could be a valuable and practical index as the supplement of cephalic index to better describe the skull. Methods: This is a retrospective study. CT scans of 17 scaphocephaly patients and 17 normal controls were included. Eight of 17 scaphocephaly patients have 6 months postoperative CT scan. The preoperative location of euryon of scaphocephaly patients was compared to that of the controls and postoperative. The horizontal location of euryon was defined as the ratio of the distance, from the most prominent point of forehead to euryon, to anteroposterior cranial length. The vertical location of euryon was defined as the ratio of the vertical distance, from the nasion to euryon, to cranial height. Results: Both the horizontal and vertical locations of euryon of preoperative scaphocephaly patients were significantly decreased compared to normals (46.50%±4.02% vs. 50.39%±2.21%, t=3.49, P=0.0014; 35.78%±8.62% vs. 52.6%±8.08%, t=5.86, P<0.001). Both the postoperative horizontal vertical locations of euryon were significantly increased, when compared to preoperative (47.25%±4.23% vs. 44.02%±3.72%, t=2.42, P=0.045; 42.39%±9.06% vs. 35.18%±5.36%, t=2.554, P=0.0379). Conclusions The location of euryon could be a practical and valuable index to describe the nuances of skull shape.