Date: April 2026.
Source: The Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal, DOI: 10.1177/10556656261438900.
Objective: Unilateral lambdoid synostosis (ULS) is characterized by posterior plagiocephaly with a complex cranial and facial asymmetry. The occipital switch (OS) technique is commonly used to correct the posterior vault deformity, while the occipital neo-bandeau (ON) has been proposed as an adjunct to improve cranial vault proportions. The purpose of this study was to compare post-operative differences in craniofacial morphology between OS and OS + ON in ULS.
Design: Retrospective review of three-dimensional images obtained pre-operatively and at 1-year post-operatively.
Participants: Twenty-four patients with ULS.
Interventions: 13 received OS, 11 received OS + ON.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Craniometric measurements included anterior, posterior, and height asymmetry ratios; turricephaly index; and nasal and chin deviation.
Results: Both cohorts demonstrated significant post-operative improvements in anterior, posterior, and height asymmetry, as well as nasal and chin deviation (P < 0.05). The OS + ON cohort demonstrated a significant post-operative increase in the turricephaly index (P = 0.039), also significantly greater than the OS-alone group (P = 0.037).
Conclusions: OS with or without ON results in significant improvements in the posterior cranial vault and facial symmetry in patients with ULS. The addition of ON resulted in a significantly greater increase in cranial height, suggesting a role in patients with vertical deficiency.
Article: Comparative Morphologic Outcomes of Occipital Switch Cranioplasty With or Without Occipital Neo-Bandeau in Unilateral Lambdoid Synostosis.
Authors: Lucas M Harrison, MD; Rami R Hallac, PhD; Paymon Sanati-Mehrizy, MD; Alex A Kane, MD. Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.