title: Using rapid prototyping molds to create patient specific polymethylmethacrylate implants in cranioplasty.
abstract: Cranioplasty is a commonly performed procedure. Outcomes can be improved by the use of patient specific implants, however, high costs limit their accessibility. This paper presents a low cost alternative technique to create patient specific polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) implants using rapid prototyped mold template. We used available patient's CT-scans, one dataset without craniotomy and one with craniotomy, for computer-assisted design of a 3D mold template, which itself can be brought into the operating room and be used for fast and easy building of a PMMA implant. We applied our solution to three patients with positive outcomes and no complications.
authors.affiliation: ARTORG Center - ISTB, University of Bern, Stauffacherstrasse 78, CH-3014, Switzerland. nicolas.gerber@istb.unibe.ch
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stieglitz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peterhans
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raabe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012886:Skull / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001843:Bone Cements; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate