Table 3.
Post-operative complications by timing strategy
| Author (Year) | Pre-CP VPS | Simultaneous CP-VPS | Post-CP VPS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complications (n) | Total (n) | Complications (n) | Total (n) | Complications (n) | Total (n) | |
| Von der Brelie (2016) |
Aseptic necrosis (3) Empyema (1) |
4/27 |
Aseptic necrosis (3) Empyema (3) |
6/10 | - | - |
| Lin (2019) |
Infection—surgical site (4) Infection—shunt (2) |
5/37 |
CSF over-drainage (2) Infection—surgical site (1) |
3/19 | - | - |
| Heo (2014) |
Subdural effusion (2) Infection—surgical site (1) Bleed—SDH (1) |
4/19 |
Subdural effusion (8) Infection—surgical site & CP (6) Bleed—SDH (2) Bleed—ICH (1) Bleed—EDH (1) |
18/32 | - | - |
| Rosinski (2020) |
Infection—surgical site (3) Infection—CP (1) Bone flap resorption (1) |
8/22 |
Infection—shunt (2) Infection—surgical site (1) Infection—CP (1) Bleed—SDH (1) CSF leak (1) |
6/18 | - | - |
| Ting (2020) |
Bleed—ICH (2) Infection—CP (1) Subdural effusion (1) |
3/32 |
Infection—shunt (2) Subdural effusion (2) Infection—CP (1) Bleed—ICH (1) |
5/17 | - | - |
| Schuss (2015) |
Bleed—unspecified (1) Hygroma (1) |
2/21 |
Infection—unspecified (7) Bleed—unspecified (1) |
8/17 | Hygroma (1) | 1/3 |
| Urvas (2015) |
Infection—surgical site (11) CSF leak (3) Bleed—unspecified (2) Wound dehiscence (2) Poor cosmetic outcome (1) Bone flap resorption (1) |
20/43 | Bleed—unspecified (2) | 2/3 |
Infection—surgical site (4) Bleed—unspecified (1) Wound dehiscence (1) Poor cosmetic outcome (1) Bone flap resorption (1) |
9/22 |
| Gill (2021) |
Infection—surgical site (2) Infection—shunt (1) |
3/37 |
Bleed—EDH (2) Abscess—epidural (1) Abscess—cerebral (1) Bleed—IVH (1) Pneumocephalus (1) |
6/18 |
Infection—surgical site (3) Infection—shunt (1) |
4/26 |
| Zhang (2022) |
Syndrome of the trephined (6) Hygroma (4) Bleed—unspecified (3) Shunt obstruction (2) Seizure (2) Infection—surgical site (1) |
15/40 |
Infection—surgical site (5) Hygroma (3) Seizure (1) |
8/22 |
Infection—surgical site (2) Shunt obstruction (1) |
3/24 |
| Oh (2008) |
Bleed—EDH (2) Subdural effusion (2) Slit ventricle (2) Seizure (2) Infection—unspecified (1) |
9/13 | - | - |
Bleed—EDH (1) Subdural effusion (1) Ventricular dilatation (1) |
3/10 |
Post-operative complications reported in included studies, stratified by ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS) relative to cranioplasty (CP): pre-CP VPS, simultaneous CP-VPS, and post-CP VPS. Complications are listed as reported in the original studies and include infectious, hemorrhagic, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-related, and reconstruction-related complications. For each study and timing strategy the number of patients experiencing at least one complication is presented alongside the total number of patients in the treatment arm
Abbreviations & Symbols: CP Cranioplasty, VPS Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting, CSF Cerebrospinal Fluid, EDH Extradural Hemorrhage, ICH Intracerebral Hemorrhage, SDH Subdural Hemorrhage