RESUMO
This article reports on a patient who required a cranial protection system. Using additive manufacturing techniques and surgical planning with the help of bio-models, a patient-specific bone implant solution was proposed that allows aesthetic restoration of the affected area and provides an adequate level of protection. In addition, through a comparative analysis with finite elements, the mechanical response to external actions of the medical device, printed with two materials: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK), is simulated. The tested materials have recognized biocompatibility properties, but their costs on the market differ significantly. The results obtained demonstrate the similarities in the responses of both materials. It offers the possibility that low-income people can access these devices, guaranteeing adequate biomechanical safety, considering that PMMA is a much cheaper material than PEEK.
RESUMO
New developments in terms of additive manufacturing, computational tools and mathematical simulation techniques have favored the development of successful methodologies for the restoration or restitution of bone structures in the human body. Likewise, achievements in Materials Science have allowed the development of biocompatible composites capable of achieving mechanical characteristics and biological similarities comparable to those of natural bone. Without considering the advantages and disadvantages of some biomaterials with respect to others, this research aims to evaluate the surgical planning, the design process, the impact resistance and the critical deflection of a customized cranial implant manufactured from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). With the support of finite element methods (FEM), the level of neurocranial protection offered by the implant is assessed.
