Customized Cranioplasty Implants Using Three-Dimensional Printers and Polymethyl-Methacrylate Casting
Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
; : 541-546, 2012.
Article
in English
| WPRIM (Western Pacific)
| ID: wpr-178295
Responsible library:
WPRO
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
The prefabrication of customized cranioplastic implants has been introduced to overcome the difficulties of intra-operative implant molding. The authors present a new technique, which consists of the prefabrication of implant molds using three-dimensional (3D) printers and polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) casting.METHODS:
A total of 16 patients with large skull defects (>100 cm2) underwent cranioplasty between November 2009 and April 2011. For unilateral cranial defects, 3D images of the skull were obtained from preoperative axial 1-mm spiral computed tomography (CT) scans. The image of the implant was generated by a digital subtraction mirror-imaging process using the normal side of the cranium as a model. For bilateral cranial defects, precraniectomy routine spiral CT scan data were merged with postcraniectomy 3D CT images following a smoothing process. Prefabrication of the mold was performed by the 3D printer. Intraoperatively, the PMMA implant was created with the prefabricated mold, and fit into the cranial defect.RESULTS:
The median operation time was 184.36+/-26.07 minutes. Postoperative CT scans showed excellent restoration of the symmetrical contours and curvature of the cranium in all cases. The median follow-up period was 23 months (range, 14-28 months). Postoperative infection was developed in one case (6.2%) who had an open wound defect previously.CONCLUSION:
Customized cranioplasty PMMA implants using 3D printer may be a useful technique for the reconstruction of various cranial defects.
Full text:
Available
Database:
WPRIM (Western Pacific)
Main subject:
Skull
/
Follow-Up Studies
/
Computer-Aided Design
/
Polymethyl Methacrylate
/
Plastic Surgery Procedures
/
Methylmethacrylate
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Tomography, Spiral Computed
/
Decompressive Craniectomy
/
Fungi
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
Year:
2012
Document type:
Article