Timing and material for cranioplasty in patients with posttraumatic skull defects / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Skull defect is commonly seen after traumatic brain injury and is often caused by decompressive craniectomy. Despite from pressure induced deformation or translocation, traumatic skull defect can also lead to multiple pathological influences to the brain, including cerebral blood flow or metabolism reduction, cerebrospinal fluid circulation disturbance, contralateral hematoma or effusion, and cerebral electrical activity changes. Cranioplasty can improve cerebral perfusion and metabolism as well as to support the rectification of cerebrospinal fluid circulation. Currently, early cranioplasty has been well accepted by neurosurgeons for the treatment of skull defect after decompressive surgery for traumatic brain injury, but the exact time point is still under debate and requires further clinical evidence. Therefore, the authors review the research progress of timing and material choices for cranioplasty of patients with skull defect after traumatic current researches, so as to provide possible inspiration for clinical practice.