Craniosynostosis: Baby Lawson all smiles after mammoth six-hour surgery to rebuild his skull

Lawson Thompson was just weeks old when mum Natasha Strickland noticed his head seemed to be an odd shape.

Strickland and her partner Jamie Thompson, of the Brisbane suburb of Wavell Heights, had welcomed their first child together on May 20, 2024, after a difficult 40-plus hour labour.

“I noticed he had a very elongated skull,” Ms Strickland told 9honey. “At first we thought it was because he had a vacuum-delivery. But it did not go away,” she said, adding it seemed to get worse until “he could not even lie on his back.”

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Despite visiting child and baby health clinics in Queensland, no-one picked up a problem.

But Strickland was so concerned she went to her GP, who agreed to refer them to a paediatrician.

During their visit, when Lawson was six weeks old, the paediatrician knew immediately something was amiss.

“He ran his finger over his head and could feel these bone deposits,” Thompson said.

Within minutes, he told the couple Lawson had craniosynostosis.

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According to Children’s Health Queensland, a newborn baby’s skull is made of bone plates that are joined together by flexible areas known as sutures.

These sutures allow the skull to be squashed slightly as babies travel down the birth canal and enable the head to grow normally in the first years of life.

Craniosynostosis occurs when one or more of the fibrous joints between the bones of a baby’s skull close or fuse prematurely, before the brain is fully formed.

If left untreated, the brain will push on the skull from the inside as it continues to grow, causing the head to grow into an unusual shape.

It can also cause pressure inside the skull and developmental problems if the condition is not corrected with surgery.

There are a number of different types of craniosynostosis, which affects about one in 2000 babies born in Australia.

Lawson has the most common, sagittal suture, which runs from the front to the back along the middle of the skull.

The couple was told Lawson would need surgery to correct the problem before he turned two and were immediately referred for genetic testing to try to find a cause for his condition.

They were also referred to a neurosurgeon and a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, who operate as a team at Mater Private Hospital Brisbane.

A CT scan was delayed until Lawson was six months old to protect his brain from radiation, and 3D renders were developed to help plan his surgery.

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The couple was told every graphic detail of what the surgery entailed and admitted it was scary.

“We really had to mentally prepare,” Strickland told 9honey. “Emotionally, it was quite shocking. 

“I think the anticipation was even more difficult than the actual operation.”

Surgery was originally planned to take place in February, but after checking in at the hospital, Lawson was sent home because he was unwell. 

“It has been pretty full-on emotionally, so to get sent home was difficult,” Thompson said.

The operation finally took place on Monday, March 17, just days before Lawson turned 10 months old.

During the almost six-hour procedure, a wavy incision was made on the top of Lawson’s head from ear to ear.

Almost all of his skull was then removed so it could be broken up and remodelled, before being placed back inside while leaving gaps in the bone so his brain can grow.

Working as a team, Dr Campbell and Dr Kennedy successfully repaired Lawson’s skull while his parents waited inside the hospital for word.

After an agonising wait, they rushed to the hospital’s intensive care unit where Lawson was connected to numerous wires, with his head heavily bandaged.

“That was possibly the most difficult moment,” Strickland said. “He had a really puffy face and there were a million people in [the room]. There were cannulas and cords everywhere and his whole head was bandaged up.

“It was quite confronting to see him like that.”

Little Lawson’s eyes were swollen shut for about a day, and his parents tried their best to soothe him with nothing but the sound of their voices when he cried out in pain.

After just six days in hospital, Lawson went home, and his parents have already noticed some big improvements.

“Before the operation, he was not really trying to crawl or move around much but before we even left the hospital he has been moving around a lot more,” Strickland said.

“And while he isn’t talking yet he is trying to communicate more.

“He also looks really different; and not just his head shape but his face as well.”

Every year, the Mater and adjoining Queensland Children’s Hospital perform about 40 complex craniofacial surgeries.

Dr Campbell and Dr Kennedy have worked closely at the Mater for several years treating children from Queensland, New South Wales, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islands and elsewhere.

Dr Campbell said performing life-changing surgery on his patients was “fairly emotionally charged” but the early treatment could minimise developmental problems caused by pressure on the brain. 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first craniofacial surgery performed at Mater by retired Professor Leigh Atkinson.

Dr Campbell said advances in technology over the past 50 years had vastly improved surgical and patient outcomes.

“These days there are 3D CT scans and 3D models, computer simulations and pre-planned cutting guides, as well as dissolvable plates and screws,” Dr Campbell said.

“There’s also been the introduction of diagnostic genetics, genetics imaging, computing operative tools and ultrasonic welding of bone.

“Our aim is to complete surgery for patients under 12 months as a one-stop solution, but some children require further surgery as they age.”

Genetic testing did not find a reason for Lawson’s condition, which can occur as a result of an inherited condition or spontaneously.

Lawson will now undergo regular monitoring to make sure the bones do not fuse back together prematurely.

His parents are full of praise for the Mater team and said it made it easier to hand over their precious son for such surgery.

“The operation was big, he will have a scar from ear to ear, but his hair will eventually cover that,” Strickland said.

“It’s a relief it is over. It’s such a daunting thing but they made us feel incredibly safe giving Lawson to them.”

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