Skull Implant

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a skull implant placed six days ago. I have a question about the result of my surgery so far. I have noticed the areas on the top front of either side of my forehead are really soft (squishy). When I press on these areas it feels like I am pressing against a small water balloon. The squishy points are along side the implant edges on the front sides of my head where I do not have any hair. This might also be the case in other parts along the edge of the implant, but I can not tell as much because I have growing hair on rest of my skull. I believe the implant is noticeable from underneath the skin at this point in the healing process. Can you please explain to me what this may indicate? Is this an expected thing at this point? or is this an indication that my implant my not be concealed and will remain noticeable going forward? Thank you.

A:This is all normal at this point in your skull implant recovery. Remember I said it will take 6 weeks for all swelling and internal fluids to be absorbed. You are not seeing the edges of the implant. Rather you are seeing the limits of the tissue dissection where the scalp has been lifted up from the bone. This goes well beyond where the implant sits on the bone. (implant pocket creation) The edges are where the scalp tissue is tightly adherent to the bone. With swelling and fluid it creates a ‘perimeter’. For this visible perimeter to go away this requires swelling and the fluid to be absorbed so the tissues stick back down. This is an issue for 6 weeks to resolve, not 6 days.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana