Cranioplasty with preoperatively customized Polymethyl-methacrylate by using 3-Dimensional Printed Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol Mold

Abstract

Currently, non-metal and metal alloplastic materials including polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), hydroxyapatite and titanium meshes are widely used as cranioplasty grafts [5]. Although the use of these materials allows closure of large cranial defects, time needed for preparation, shaping and the contouring of the implant

Accuracy Assessment of Molded, Patient-Specific Polymethylmethacrylate Craniofacial Implants Compared to Their 3D Printed Originals

“…Currently, few materials for 3D printers that are certified for implantation are available. Consequently, non-biocompatible 3D printed templates must be transferred into a certified biocompatible material, such as bone cement [1,[12][13][14][15][16]22,25,29]. Variations in the operator's experience will influence the results, and there may be a learning curve for hand-mixed bone cement [30].…”

“…This assimilation of technologies aids in patient-specific reconstructions using three-dimensional (3D) printed templates for the fabrication of customized prefabricated PMMA cranial implants [13]. The use of different reconstruction techniques has been reported in several studies, such as including a plastic bag with a wire mesh, a silicone mold from a 3D printed template, a one-part 3D printed mold, and a 3D printed mold with several parts [1,12,[14][15][16]. Although the benefits of customized fabricated PMMA implants have been clearly described, few studies have evaluated the accuracy of PSIs and have only examined those fabricated using another workflow.…”

Polylactic Acid Implant for Cranioplasty with 3-dimensional Printing Customization: A Case Report

“…Many materials can be used for cranioplasty, such as the bones of the patient (autograft), the bones of other patients (allograft), bones of animals (xenograft), or synthetic materials such as acrylic or titanium mesh [2]. Manual shaping of material for cranioplasty is also quite time-consuming and prone to cause esthetic dissatisfaction [3].…”