MATERIAL and METHODS: Infants with premature closure of the sagittal suture were included in this study. All infants underwent preoperative skull model reconstruction using imaging techniques and 3D printing. The infants were then allocated to either the experiment group, where the frontal frame retraction was used to guide the surgical treatment of cranial stenosis, or the control group, where traditional cranial suture reconstruction was performed. All interventions were performed by the same operator. The surgical effects of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS: Overall, 28 infants were enrolled in this study, with 15 infants in the experimental group and 13 in the control group. In the one-year post-operative follow-up visit, the cephalic index of scaphoid malformation was 78.3 ± 1.4 in the experimental group and 69.0 ± 4.2 in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: Frontal frame retraction surgery can guide the surgical procedure for cranial stenosis, significantly improve the treatment outcome in children with premature closure of the sagittal suture, and improve the form of the head aesthetically in children, and the effect is better than traditional operation; therefore, the technique is worth popularizing in the clinic. Keywords : Infant, Cranial stenosis, Surgery, Premature closure of the sagittal suture, 3D printing technique