Purpose: Decompressive craniectomy is a life-saving procedure in the setting of malignant brain swelling. Patients who survive require cranioplasty for anatomical reconstruction and cerebral protection. Autologous cranioplasty remains the commonest practice nowadays, but partial bone flap defects are frequently encountered. The authors, therefore, seek to develop a new technique of reconstruction for cranioplasty candidate with partial bone flap defect utilizing computer-assisted 3D modeling and printing.
Methods: A prospective study was conducted to evaluate the outcome of a new reconstruction technique that produces patient-specific hybrid polymethyl methacrylate-autologous cranial implant. Computer-assisted 3D modeling and printing was utilized to produce patient-specific molds, which allowed real-time reconstruction of bone flap with partial defect intra-operatively.
Results: Outcome assessment for 11 patients at 6 weeks and 3 months post-operatively revealed satisfactory implant alignment with favorable cosmesis. The mean visual analog scale for cosmesis was 91. Mean implant size was 50cm, and the mean duration of intra-operative reconstruction was 30 minutes. All of them revealed improvement in quality of life following surgery as measured by the SF-36 score. Cost analysis revealed that this technique is more cost-effective compared to customized cranial prosthesis.
Conclusion: This new technique and approach produce hybrid autologous-alloplastic bone flap that resulted in satisfactory implant alignment and favorable cosmetic outcome with relatively low costs.