CVR/FOA

The surgery Max is going to have is called a Cranial Vault Remodeling with a Frontal Orbital Advancement. While in the middle of some late night research, I came across these drawings and descriptions that help better explain the surgeries.


CVR (Cranial Vault Remodeling):
This procedure takes off a portion of the skull on the top and front/sides. The surgeon then cuts and manipulates the skull so that it is placed back on in such a way that the brain has room to grow and cosmetically looks better. Where the skull is cut depends on which suture is fused. Metopics (like Max) ususally have the skull cut in front of the coronals so that they are not affected.





FOA (Frontal Orbital Advancement):
This procedure is often done at the same time as a CVR. I have never heard of a FOA done without a CVR. The FOA is done to help correct the brow line, which is often smaller than it should be. The brow line is misshappen or smaller than normal due to the type of cranio that has affected it. Metopic kiddos have a "V" shaped browline that is too small...this is from the fused metopic suture keeping the brow line from growing at the normal rate. The FOA procedure makes adjustments to the brow bone so that it is the correct size for the child so that it protects the eyeballs in the orbital socket. Also, it provides a more accurate "look" for the child...the way he/she was supposed to look. Surgeons do often over-correct this so that the child can "grow into" the new brow line. This is because the growth usually does not continue at the same rate needed for the overall outcome when the child is older.

Surgery is a week from Friday... I'm trying to keep breathing.