Reconstruction of cranial defects with individually formed cranial prostheses made of polypropylene polyester knitwear: an analysis of 48 consecutive patients.
This article presents a new method of cranioplasty in which polypropylene polyester knitwear was used as the filling material. The basis for prosthesis shaping was a three-dimensional model of the defect made according to the patient's CT scans. Previously, such material has never been a subject of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) individual forming. The process of the prosthesis design included CT bone scans and mold preparation for each patient. Such prostheses were implanted in 48 patients with cranial defects. The total number of prostheses applied was 51. The follow-up time was at least 6 months up to 36 months. The group of treated patients is described here, and sample pictures are shown to illustrate the results. The smallest defect had a size of 15 cm(2); the biggest, 178 cm(2). The coverage and the aesthetic results were very good in all cases. Two patients had postoperative complications. The cranioplastic solution described here is a valuable addition to the existing reconstructive methods, because of the low cost of the implant, the ease of its adjustment to the shape of the defect, and the short time of preparation.
Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland. piotr001@widzew.net
Piotr
P
Kasprzak
Grzegorz
G
Tomaszewski
Zbigniew
Z
Kotwica
Borys
B
Kwinta
Jerzy
J
Zwoliński
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011091:Polyesters / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012886:Skull / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
D011091:Polyesters; D011126:Polypropylenes