Can Occipital Augmentation Be Done At The Same Time As Sagittal Ridge Reduction?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve been looking into cranial augmentation and it has led me to here. You seem to have a lot of experience in the matter so I have a few questions. I have flatness in the back of my head and also a hump on the top of my head. If you look at my pictures, the flatness starts at point A up to the top of my head. The hump starts at point B and continues to point C. I have also outlined a drawing of how I would like the final result to shape into. My questions are:

1. Can both of these issues be corrected in the same procedure and through the same incision point?
2. Could a single vertical incision,essentially from point A to point C give better access to address both issues, or is a coronal incision still the method of choice?
3. I would be an out of town patient. If I were to go through with the procedure, how many days would I have to stay in the Indianapolis area for?

A: When it comes to skull reshaping, it is very common to simultaneously perform areas of reduction and augmentation. In answer to your specific questions:

Both the sagittal ridge reduction and the occipital augmentation can be done through the same incision at the same time.
The transverse coronal incision would be the standard approach. While there is nothing wrong per se with a sagittal or vertical incision, as equal access to do the procedure can be obtained as the coronal incision, there would be greater scar widening with that scalp incision orientation.
You would be able to leave for home by 48 hours after surgery.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana