What is temporal hallowing and why does it happen?

Temporal hollowing occurs frequently following surgical correction of Craniosynostosis.(Coronal Synostosis and Metopic) This is characterized by a depression in the posterolateral orbitotemporal region. Both soft-tissue and bony causes have been postulated to underpin this problem.  There are many theories as to why this occurs, sometimes several years port surgery but no definitive answers.  While temporal hallowing may be something that a parent will find upsetting, typically this causes no issue to the developing brain.

It has recently been noted that minimally invasive surgery may help prevent temporal hallowing.

There are several surgical options to fill in the defects later in childhood.  It is important to remember that this is a common post-op issue and does not mean that your child did not have a good outcome from his/her surgery.

Please contact us if you have any questions.