Low-Cost 3-D-Printer-Assisted Personalized Cranioplasty Treatment: A Case Series of 14 Consecutive Patients

Finite element analysis of a customized implant in PMMA coupled with the cranial bone

This computational study investigates the effect of the Von Misses stresses and deformations distribution generated by coupling a customized cranial implant with its fixation system for anchoring in the cranial bone of a specific patient. Three simulations were carried out under static loads, in different areas of the implant and during the rest-activity; and another three simulations were considered preset maximum intracranial pressures. Anatomical models were obtained by computed tomography. The design of the device to be implanted was carried out by applying reverse engineering processes, from the corresponding computer-aided design (CAD) model of the bone structure of interest. Likewise, the anchoring system was modeled in detail. Loads were applied at three points on the custom implant. The stress distribution on the artificial plate and the implant-natural bone interface was analyzed. The distribution of the stresses caused by the internal load states on the plate and the anchoring system was also studied. The neurocranial reconstruction with the customized polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based implant and the finite element analysis demonstrated that the fixation and coupling system of the bone-implant interface guarantees adequate protection for the internal structures of the restored area. In addition, the custom-designed and placed implant will not cause non-physiological harm to the patient. Nor will failures occur in the anchoring system.

Finite Element Analysis of Patient-Specific 3D-Printed Cranial Implant Manufactured with PMMA and PEEK: A Mechanical Comparative Study

This article reports on a patient who required a cranial protection system. Using additive manufacturing techniques and surgical planning with the help of bio-models, a patient-specific bone implant solution was proposed that allows aesthetic restoration of the affected area and provides an adequate level of protection. In addition, through a comparative analysis with finite elements, the mechanical response to external actions of the medical device, printed with two materials: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK), is simulated. The tested materials have recognized biocompatibility properties, but their costs on the market differ significantly. The results obtained demonstrate the similarities in the responses of both materials. It offers the possibility that low-income people can access these devices, guaranteeing adequate biomechanical safety, considering that PMMA is a much cheaper material than PEEK.