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All topics
  1. What it is
  2. Why it matters
  3. Timing
  4. The procedure
  5. Patient journey
  6. Recovery supplies
  7. Implant materials
  8. Side-by-side
  9. US manufacturers
  10. What the evidence says
  11. Value analysis
  12. Questions to ask
  13. Glossary
  14. Resources
  15. References

For patients and families

Your patient journey

Every hospital does things a little differently, and your own team's instructions always come first. This is a general picture of what most people go through, so the process feels less unfamiliar.

Before surgery

Getting ready

  • Tests and scans. Expect blood work and a CT scan of your head. Some people also have an X-ray or MRI.24 If you're getting a custom implant, that CT is what it will be designed from.
  • Medication review. Tell your team about every medicine you take, especially blood thinners such as warfarin or aspirin, and anti-inflammatory drugs. You may be asked to stop or adjust some of them.24,25
  • Stop smoking and alcohol. Your surgeon will likely ask you to stop at least a week before surgery.24 Smoking slows wound healing.
  • Possible preventive medicines. Some people are given antibiotics or anti-seizure medicine around the time of surgery.24
  • Plan for home. Arrange a ride home, someone to stay with you for the first days, and time off work or school.
Day of surgery

In the operating room

  • Anesthesia. You will be fully asleep under general anesthesia.25
  • The incision. The area is shaved, and the surgeon usually opens along your previous scar.24
  • The repair. The surgeon frees the scalp from the brain's covering, then fits your bone flap or implant into the opening and secures it.25
  • Closing. The scalp is closed with stitches or staples. A small drain may be left in for a short time.25
  • How long. Cranioplasty usually takes up to about three hours.24 Your family can ask where to wait and how they'll get updates.
After surgery

Hospital and home

  • First night. You'll be watched closely, often in a step-down unit or ICU. A mild headache is common.24,25
  • Hospital stay. Usually a few days. One center cites 2 to 3 days; another cites up to about 5 on average, longer if needed.24,25
  • Going home. Generally once you can walk, shower and dress on your own. You may have a scan before you leave.24,25
  • Follow-up visits. Often around 1 week, 1 month and 3 months, including stitch or staple removal.24,25
  • Full recovery. Usually takes 1 to 3 months.24

Read the first-week-home guide

Tips for a smoother recovery

  • Rest, and keep your head raised on pillows rather than lying flat.24
  • Skip strenuous activity and heavy lifting until your surgeon clears you.24
  • Don't drive until your doctor says you're ready. That check often happens 1 to 2 weeks after surgery.25
  • Follow your team's wound care instructions exactly, including when you can shower and wash your hair.24
  • Take every medicine as prescribed. Never stop seizure medicine on your own.
  • Prevent falls: clear walkways, use a night light, and have someone nearby for the first days home.26
  • Keep every follow-up appointment, even if you feel fine.24
  • Stay off tobacco while you heal.

About protective helmets

Simple drawing of a soft protective helmet

Between craniectomy and cranioplasty, part of the brain has no bone over it. Patients are usually asked to wear a padded protective helmet so a fall or bump doesn't injure the unprotected area.26

  • Your care team decides when the helmet must be worn, often whenever you're up, walking, or being moved, and reviews it as you recover.27
  • Helmets are sized to your head and can be adjusted as swelling changes. Report any rubbing, red marks or discomfort right away.27
  • Clean it using the instructions that come with it.27
  • After cranioplasty, ask your surgeon when you can stop wearing it. Don't stop on your own.

Read the full helmet guide

Call your care team right away if you notice

A headache that keeps getting worse, fever, swelling or redness at the incision, or fluid leaking from the wound.24,25 Call 911 for a seizure or signs of a stroke, such as sudden weakness, face drooping, or trouble speaking.24

Sources for this page

  1. Cleveland Clinic. Cranioplasty: what it is, procedure, recovery and risks. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24924-cranioplasty
  2. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Cranioplasty. hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/cranioplasty
  3. Cleveland Clinic. Craniectomy: what it is, procedure, recovery and risks. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24901-craniectomy
  4. Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. Following your craniectomy: wearing a protective helmet (patient leaflet). doclibrary-rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk/GET/d10338475

All references