Cranial defect and decrease in cerebral blood flow resulting from deep contact burn of the scalp in the neonatal period

A case of cranial defect in the anterior fontanelle region is reported. The patient suffered a deep contact burn on the right parietofrontal region in the neonatal period. At age 3 years, a bone defect of 30 × 20 mm was observed in the right parietofrontal region, including the anterior fontanelle, and the pulsation of the brain was palpable. Moreover, scintigraphy of cerebral blood flow using SPECT with 99mTc-HMPAO demonstrated extensive decrease in blood flow in the right parietosquamosal region. Cranioplasty was performed at 3 years and 4 months using split ribs grafts and at age 5 years and 4 months using split-thickness calvarial bone grafts. After the cranioplasty, there was no bony defect and no region of reduced blood flow. The child is developing well.