TY - JOUR
T1 - Cranioplasty with Customized Titanium and PEEK Implants in a Mechanical Stress Model
AU - Lethaus, Bernd
AU - Safi, Yara
AU - ter Laak-Poort, Mariel
AU - Kloss-Brandstaetter, Anita
AU - Banki, Frans
AU - Robbenmenke, Christian
AU - Steinseifer, Ulrich
AU - Kessler, Peter
PY - 2012/4
Y1 - 2012/4
N2 - Large skull defects as a result of craniectomies due to cerebral insults, trauma, or tumors create functional and aesthetic disturbances for the patient. Cranioplasty with implants in these cases are an alternative to autogenous bone transplantation. In our clinic, customized titanium or optima poly-ether-ether ketone (PEEK) implants are used to reconstruct craniectomy defects. To compare the two materials we investigated the structural changes of the implants fixed to a sintered polyamide skull model under mechanical stress in four simplified models. In a standard testing machine, the models were subjected to a load under a quasi-static loading rate of 1.925 mm/min. Fractures of the PEEK implants occurred at a force of 24.2 and 24.5kN with a displacement of 8.4 and 8 mm. The titanium implants showed no deformation, but extensive damage was seen in the polyamide skull models. The highest pressures achieved were 45.8 and 50.9 kN. In a simplified model with quasi-static loading, both implants withstood forces that were higher than those capable of causing skull fractures. It seems that the mechanical properties of PEEK could provide better protection when used for cranioplasty in patients after craniectomy if reconstruction with autogenous bone is not possible.
AB - Large skull defects as a result of craniectomies due to cerebral insults, trauma, or tumors create functional and aesthetic disturbances for the patient. Cranioplasty with implants in these cases are an alternative to autogenous bone transplantation. In our clinic, customized titanium or optima poly-ether-ether ketone (PEEK) implants are used to reconstruct craniectomy defects. To compare the two materials we investigated the structural changes of the implants fixed to a sintered polyamide skull model under mechanical stress in four simplified models. In a standard testing machine, the models were subjected to a load under a quasi-static loading rate of 1.925 mm/min. Fractures of the PEEK implants occurred at a force of 24.2 and 24.5kN with a displacement of 8.4 and 8 mm. The titanium implants showed no deformation, but extensive damage was seen in the polyamide skull models. The highest pressures achieved were 45.8 and 50.9 kN. In a simplified model with quasi-static loading, both implants withstood forces that were higher than those capable of causing skull fractures. It seems that the mechanical properties of PEEK could provide better protection when used for cranioplasty in patients after craniectomy if reconstruction with autogenous bone is not possible.
KW - decompressive craniectomy
KW - in vivo studies
KW - surgery
KW - traumatic brain injury
U2 - 10.1089/neu.2011.1794
DO - 10.1089/neu.2011.1794
M3 - Article
SN - 0897-7151
VL - 29
SP - 1077
EP - 1083
JO - Journal of Neurotrauma
JF - Journal of Neurotrauma
IS - 6
ER -