Cranioplasty as the return-to-work factor – 112 patients with cranial defects treated in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Medical University of Lodz

Objectives The number of craniectomies and the consequent reconstructive procedures has grown during the past decades. Cranial defects and methods of their repair could have some influence on work capability of the patients and their employability. Material and Methods The authors analyzed a group of 112 patients with cranial defects treated in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Medical University of Lodz, Poland, in the course of the katamnestic period longer than 6 months after reconstructive operation, and observed them between February 2008 and February 2015. Their work capability and employment were compared, all the patients were interviewed concerning the reasons for not working according to the Social Insurance Institution predication procedure. Results Before the cranioplasty, all the patients were capable of working without limitations according to biological criteria and 89 of them were employed. Twenty-three not working people consisted of 6 pupils, 7 retired and 10 not working for other reasons. During the period between the craniectomy and the cranioplasty, 88 patients were capable of working and only 2 were employed. After the reconstruction, 93 were capable of working without limitations and 16 – with limitations. Forty-seven were employed during the period of the follow-up, the rest of patients consisted of 2 pupils, 13 retired and 50 not working for various reasons. Conclusions Cranioplasty is a very important factor contributing to return to work. This outcome may be seen as having a great social value and be added to the functions of cranial repair as protective, esthetic and normalizing the intracranial pressure previously described in the literature. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(5):803–809