A customized large single-piece bifrontal implant for post-craniectomy defect reconstruction: A case study

Background: Large bifrontal defects pose unique reconstruction challenges due to their complex curvature and mechanical requirements. This case demonstrated how computer-aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) enabled precise single-piece polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) implant fabrication, thereby overcoming traditional limitations. Case presentation: A 25-year-old male who had undergone bifrontal decompressive craniectomy suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. The autologous bone flap had been temporarily stored in a subcutaneous fat area of the abdomen for 3 months to preserve its viability. A secondary cranioplasty was then performed using titanium miniplates and self-tapping screws for final fixation. After 2 years, the patient developed empyema and a brain abscess; the infected bone flap was removed. A skull computed tomography (CT) scan was conducted, and a prosthesis was created from PMMA by employing CAD. In the sagittal plane, the defect extended from the frontal bone and surpassed the coronal suture, while in the coronal plane, it reached the temporal region on both sides. The prosthesis was fabricated through rapid prototyping based on CT scan images. Surgery was performed using a patient-specific prosthesis that adequately covered the defect area. Facial aesthetics were restored, and no complications occurred. The patient was followed clinically and radiologically for 1 year, during which no postoperative complications or signs of implant-related issues were observed. Conclusion: This CAD/CAM single-piece PMMA implant successfully restored large bifrontal defects, suggesting that it may find broader applications in complex cranioplasties and could achieve improved outcomes.
- Polin RS, Shaffrey ME, Bogaev CA, et al. Decompressive bifrontal craniectomy in the treatment of severe refractory posttraumatic cerebral edema. Neurosurgery. 1997;41(1):84-94; discussion 92-4. doi: 10.1097/00006123-199707000-00018
- Waltzman D, Haarbauer-Krupa J, Womack LS. Traumatic brain injury in older adults-a public health perspective. JAMA Neurol. 2022;79(5):437-438. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.0021
- Maas AIR, Menon DK, Manley GT, et al. Traumatic brain injury: Progress and challenges in prevention, clinical care, and research. Lancet Neurol. 2022;21(11):1004-1060. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(22)00309-X
- Carney N, Totten AM, O’Reilly C, et al. Guidelines for the management of severe traumatic brain injury, fourth edition. Neurosurgery. 2017;80(1):6-15. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000001432
- Chesnut R, Aguilera S, Buki A, et al. A management algorithm for adult patients with both brain oxygen and intracranial pressure monitoring: The seattle international severe traumatic brain injury consensus conference (SIBICC). Intensive Care Med. 2020;46(5):919-929. doi: 10.1007/s00134-019-05900-x
- Hutchinson PJ, Kolias AG, Timofeev IS, et al. Trial of decompressive craniectomy for traumatic intracranial hypertension. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(12):1119-1130. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1605215
- Sahoo N, Roy ID, Desai AP, Gupta V. Comparative evaluation of autogenous calvarial bone graft and alloplastic materials for secondary reconstruction of cranial defects. J Craniofac Surg. 2010;21(1):79-82. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0b013e3181c465be
- Gopalakrishnan MS, Shanbhag NC, Shukla DP, Konar SK, Bhat DI, Devi BI. Complications of decompressive craniectomy. Front Neurol. 2018;9:977. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00977
- Dabadi S, Dhungel R, Sharma UK, et al. Customized cost-effective polymethyl-methacrylate cranioplasty implant using three-dimensional printer. Asian J Neurosurg. 2021;16(1):150-154. doi: 10.4103/ajns.AJNS_418_20
- Sahoo NK, Tomar K, Thakral A, Rangan NM. Complications of cranioplasty. J Craniofac Surg. 2018;29(5):1344-1348. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000004489
- Luo J, Liu B, Xie Z, et al. Comparison of manually shaped and computer-shaped titanium mesh for repairing large frontotemporoparietal skull defects after traumatic brain injury. Neurosurg Focus. 2012;33(2):E13. doi: 10.3171/2012.6.FOCUS12185
- Oliver JD, Banuelos J, Abu-Ghname A, Vyas KS, Sharaf B. Alloplastic cranioplasty reconstruction: A systematic review comparing outcomes with titanium mesh, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether ether ketone, and norian implants in 3591 adult patients. Ann Plast Surg. 2019;82(5S Suppl 4):S289-S294. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000001824
- Ghaderzadeh O, Soleymanipoor S, Ghodsi SR, Namazi Z. Large temporoparietal cranioplasty by customized prosthesis: A case report. Case Rep Clin Pract. 2024;9:104-107. doi: 10.32598/crcp.9.2.104
- Fischer CM, Burkhardt JK, Sarnthein J, Bernays RL, Bozinov O. Aesthetic outcome in patients after polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) cranioplasty - a questionnaire-based single-center study. Neurol Res. 2012;34(3):281-285. doi: 10.1179/1743132812Y.0000000011