Skull Reduction

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have some questions about skull reduction surgery.

1) If you reduce the total of my head, (back and between the temporal lines) will the results come slower than if you just reduced a small area?

2) How will the swelling feel like, is it like bone, or can I feel difference?

3) After how long after the surgery will the result be final and when will the result be 25%, 50, 75%?

4) If i had an accident years ago, on my skull, will it be possible that my body naturally responds with forming bone?

5) Or can bone form at all after such a surgery?

6) Will the scalp be normal after procedure, it will not be thicker?

A: In answer to your questions about skull reduction surgery:

Larger areas of skull reduction will have a longer recovery period than smaller or spot reductions.
Scalp swelling will feel somewhat softer than the feel of skull bone.
It takes a full 2 months after surgery to appreciate the final result. The swelling goes down at a rate of 50% by 10 days, 75% at three week, 90% at 6 weeks and 100% at 8 weeks after surgery.
Trauma to a portion of the skull that has been previously reduced will not cause it to form bone.
New bone is not known to form after skull reduction surgery.
There will be no appreciable change to the thickness of your scalp after surgery.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana