Specialty Applied Neuroanatomy
Library of the School of Health Sciences

2019-11-21

2019

Papafragkos Dimitrios

Μαρία Πιάγκου, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Ιατρικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Γεώργιος Στράντζαλης, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ιατρικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Κωνσταντίνος Φουντάς, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Ιατρικής, Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας

Χαμηλού κόστους εξατομικευμένη κρανιοπλαστική με κατασκευή εμφυτεύματος ακρυλικού τσιμέντου (PMMA) από πρόπλασμα 3D εκτύπωσης

Greek

Low-cost customized cranioplasty with poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) implants by using 3-dimensional printed molds

Background: Cranioplasty is the surgical intervention to repair cranial defects. Prefabricated patient-specific cranioplasty implants are anatomically accurate but remain costly. Acrylic bone cement is a commonly used alternative. However, the manual shaping of the bone cement is difficult and may not lead to a satisfactory implant.
Objective: Aim of the author is to describe a new method and their experience of producing low-cost customized polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) implants using 3-dimensional (3D) printed molds.
Material-Method: A total of 15 patients with large skull defects underwent low-cost customized PMMA cranioplasty from Nov. 2017 to Jan. 2019 in our department. Three-dimensional images of their skull were obtained from preoperative axial 1mm spiral CT scans. The image of the implant was generated by a mirror-imaging process using the normal side of the cranium as a model. The images were then used to produce for each patient a mold of the external surface of the cranium using a low-cost 3D printer. Each mold was put in a sterile bag and then used to cast a customized PMMA implant fit into the cranial defect. Cost of the implant, cosmetic outcome and postoperative complications were recorded.
Results. The aesthetic result was excellent in almost all patients (93.3%), while at the same time the cost per medical procedure was drastically reduced by 10 times compared to other prefabricated cranioplasty implants. Postoperative epidural hematoma was developed in one case and one patient required revision surgery due to implant displacement.
Conclusions: Customized PMMA cranioplasty implants, using 3D printer, could be a safe and cost-effective alternative, allowing precise repair of various skull defects with excellent aesthetic and functional results.

Health Sciences

3Dprinting, PMMA, Cranioplasty, Mold

No

0

Yes

54

109

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https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2886067