title: History of synthetic materials in alloplastic cranioplasty.
abstract: When faced with calvarial defects, surgeons have long searched for repair materials. General criteria include ease of use, low cost, availability, cosmetic shape, and osteointegrative potential. While autologous bone is widely used and favored in contemporary reconstructive procedures, synthetic alternatives have been used throughout history and are necessary in current practice for select cases when autograft reconstruction is not an option (such as cases with severe bony comminution, bone graft resorption, infection, and limited donor site options). For centuries, surgeons have experimented with metals, ceramics, plastics, and later, resorbable polymers. This paper provides a tour of the materials that have been used and experimented with throughout the history of alloplastic cranioplasty.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurosurgery and.
authors.forename: Dominic A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Abigail J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khechoyan
authors.forename: Sandi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000266:history* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods*; D012886:Skull / Q000601:surgery; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials