Pediatric Calvarial Tumors: 10 Years of Clinical Experience and Differences From the Literature

Very few studies have focused exclusively on pediatric calvarial tumors. These studies have primarily addressed the similarities of the cases with those reported in the literature, as opposed to their distinctive features. In contrast, the present study is the most detailed study conducted in the last 10 years that includes only pediatric calvarial tumors and highlights their differences according to the literature. A total of 31 patients with pediatric calvarial tumor surgically treated in our center between 2010 and 2020 were included in the study. The patients' files were analyzed retrospectively and 17 different preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters were determined and compared with previous studies. Except for the tumors causing lytic or sclerotic lesions, there was at least one distinguishing aspect of our series in all parameters. Despite the many distinctive features, the consensus in the treatment of calvarial tumors is to perform complete resection of the tumor and, if possible, remove some of the adjacent healthy bone. Considering the age factor, however, closure of the resulting bone defects with cranioplasty to address issues of cosmesis and intracranial pressure is yet another aspect of pediatric calvarial tumors, because pediatric cranioplasty has its own specific complications. Using intraoperative neuronavigation and performing tumor resection alone without additional craniectomy are also methods the authors use to prevent major bone defects.