1995 Volume 4 Issue 2 Pages 128-132
Described is a method for preserving decompressed bone flaps in 80% ethanol. Such bone flaps have been used in cranioplasty to repair 17 cases that received a decompressive craniotomy after surgery for a subarachnoid hemorrhage or a spontaneous intracerebral hematoma because these cases manifested high intracranial pressure (ICP). A11 of the decompressed bone flaps were first washed in saline and preserved in 80% ethanol from 19 to 117 days before use. Of 17 bone flaps so prepared, 15 were used for cranioplasty and no postoperative infectious complications occurred. Both histopathological and radiological studies of the flaps after each cranioplasty confirmed that the flaps preserved by this method were suitable.
