New Craniosynostosis and Cranial Reconstruction Center Provides Expert, Coordinated Care
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center is proud to announce the opening of our Craniosynostosis and Cranial Reconstruction Center. Our team features leading neurosurgery and plastic surgery experts who provide complete care for craniosynostosis, calvarial abnormalities and skull lesions.
Craniosynostosis is a condition where a child’s skull bones fuse early before the brain stops growing. Treatment involves surgery to open and expand the fused skull bones, giving the brain room to grow.
At Cincinnati Children’s, we have decades of experience performing open and minimally invasive surgeries for craniosynostosis. Using the latest imaging technology and surgical planning tools, the team creates a unique treatment approach for each child.
“Cincinnati Children’s is one of the country’s leading experts in craniosynostosis care, so we’re thrilled to be able to officially form this Center and offer personalized treatment to more patients,” says Center Co-Director Brian Pan, MD. “We’ve brought together some of the country’s most experienced neurosurgeons and craniofacial plastic surgeons to create a world-class program.”
In addition to providing the latest treatment options, our Center focuses on compassionate and personalized care. We offer one-on-one support from a dedicated nurse coordinator who acts as a resource for families from the moment they contact our Center. The coordinator — a surgical nurse — schedules appointments, answers questions and provides reassurance throughout treatment.
“Our nurse coordinator does everything possible to make sure families have a seamless treatment experience,” says Center Co-Director Jesse Skoch, MD. “She stays by their side from their first clinic visit through their last postoperative visit, making sure they have a familiar face throughout the treatment journey.”
In addition to our unique coordinated care approach, Cincinnati Children’s Craniosynostosis and Cranial Reconstruction Center offers:
· A co-surgeon clinic – This in-person clinic appointment allows the neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon to collaborate on a diagnosis and treatment alongside the patient. This process improves communication and transparency with treatment decisions.
· Experts in virtual surgical planning (VSP) – Our team has been using VSP for years, employing it in most craniosynostosis cases. The VSP’s advanced 3D imaging technology allows us to map a detailed surgical plan.
· Minimally invasive surgery expertise – We have a long history of using minimally invasive procedures to treat craniosynostosis. Our team also sees a high volume of minimally invasive surgeries — 40-60% of the procedures we do are minimally invasive.
· Multidisciplinary team of specialists – Our team includes subspecialists from ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology, genetics, neuropsychology and otolaryngology.
“As one of the nation’s top-ranked children’s hospitals, Children’s gives our craniosynostosis patients access to a range of subspecialists all under one roof,” Pan says. “No matter what health needs a child has, we have an expert who can help them recover and thrive.”
For more information about the Craniosynostosis and Cranial Reconstruction Center, or to make a referral, call 513-636-4726 or email cranio@cchmc.org.