• Dieter Thijs and Tomas Menovsky.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium. Electronic address: dieter.thijs@uza.be.
• World Neurosurg. 2021 Jul 1; 151: 102-109.

BackgroundThe Mayfield skull clamp is the most commonly used 3-pin head immobilization device. It is routinely used in cranial neurosurgical procedures and selected cervical procedures. Despite its role in some serious complications, guidelines and nuances on the correct application of the Mayfield clamp are lacking. The goal of this article was to present an overview of the complications associated with the Mayfield skull clamp. We also present a conceptual framework of the correct use-in our opinion-of the Mayfield clamp in several standard approaches to avoid the most common complications.MethodsPubMed was searched for original articles published between 1980 and 2020 with the search terms "Mayfield skull clamp" and "Mayfield head clamp." Eligibility criteria were availability of English abstract and complications clearly attributed to the Mayfield skull clamp. Both authors assessed all search results for eligibility. Additional articles were found with cross-references.ResultsThe most common complications associated with Mayfield clamp application were due to vascular injury inflicted by the pins or skull fractures. Complications related to use of the Mayfield clamp were rare but often serious and avoidable. A conceptual framework was presented on how to avoid these complications.ConclusionsAttention to detail, anatomy, and the primum non nocere principle are imperative in every step of the neurosurgical pathway, including placement of the Mayfield skull clamp. Thoughtful application, taking into consideration several nuances, is recommended to avoid inadvertent patient harm.Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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