Rapid prototyping technology for cranioplasty: A case series

Next-generation personalized cranioplasty treatment

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a surgical procedure, that is followed by cranioplasty surgery. DC is usually performed to treat patients with traumatic brain injury, intracranial hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, brain edema, skull fractures, etc. In many published clinical case studies and systematic reviews, cranioplasty surgery is reported to restore cranial symmetry with good cosmetic outcomes and neurophysiologically relevant functional outcomes in hundreds of patients. In this review article, we present a number of key issues related to the manufacturing of patient-specific implants, clinical complications, cosmetic outcomes, and newer alternative therapies. While discussing alternative therapeutic treatments for cranioplasty, biomolecules and cellular-based approaches have been emphasized. The current clinical practices in the restoration of cranial defects involve 3D printing to produce patient-specific prefabricated cranial implants, that provide better cosmetic outcomes. Regardless of the advancements in image processing and 3D printing, the complete clinical procedure is time-consuming and requires significant costs. To reduce manual intervention and to address unmet clinical demands, it has been highlighted that automated implant fabrication by data-driven methods can accelerate the design and manufacturing of patient-specific cranial implants. The data-driven approaches, encompassing artificial intelligence (machine learning/deep learning) and E-platforms, such as publicly accessible clinical databases will lead to the development of the next generation of patient-specific cranial implants, which can provide predictable clinical outcomes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Cranioplasty is performed to reconstruct cranial defects of patients who have undergone decompressive craniectomy. Cranioplasty surgery improves the aesthetic and functional outcomes of those patients. To meet the clinical demands of cranioplasty surgery, accelerated designing and manufacturing of 3D cranial implants are required. This review provides an overview of biomaterial implants and bone flap manufacturing methods for cranioplasty surgery. In addition, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine-based approaches to reduce clinical complications are also highlighted. The potential use of data-driven computer applications and data-driven artificial intelligence-based approaches are emphasized to accelerate the clinical protocols of cranioplasty treatment with less manual intervention and shorter intraoperative time.

Low-Cost Cranioplasty—A Systematic Review of 3D Printing in Medicine

The high cost of biofabricated titanium mesh plates can make them out of reach for hospitals in low-income countries. To increase the availability of cranioplasty, the authors of this work investigated the production of polymer-based endoprostheses. Recently, cheap, popular desktop 3D printers have generated sufficient opportunities to provide patients with on-demand and on-site help. This study also examines the technologies of 3D printing, including SLM, SLS, FFF, DLP, and SLA. The authors focused their interest on the materials in fabrication, which include PLA, ABS, PET-G, PEEK, and PMMA. Three-dimensional printed prostheses are modeled using widely available CAD software with the help of patient-specific DICOM files. Even though the topic is insufficiently researched, it can be perceived as a relatively safe procedure with a minimal complication rate. There have also been some initial studies on the costs and legal regulations. Early case studies provide information on dozens of patients living with self-made prostheses and who are experiencing significant improvements in their quality of life. Budget 3D-printed endoprostheses are reliable and are reported to be significantly cheaper than the popular counterparts manufactured from polypropylene polyester.

3D printed obturators - An innovative journey

The children suffering from cleft palate undergo physical and psychological trauma of a basic life function of feeding until the surgeon deems it suitable for corrective surgery. It is highly discouraging for the parents to face the ordeal being suffered by the child. Over the years, several modalities have been developed in the form of techniques and products to improve the feeding experience of the child. However, all of these products come with a certain set of problems including the difficulty of fabrication, cost, availability, etc. This article covers the journey of the D-cleft from the clinical trials of various designs and prototypes and improvement of the disadvantages of these finally leading to a device, which is easy to use, flexible, biocompatible, affordable, and customisable.

Digital dentistry: The new state of the art - Is it disruptive or destructive?

OBJECTIVE

Summarizing the new state of the art of digital dentistry, opens exploration of the type and extent of innovations and technological advances that have impacted - and improved - dentistry. The objective is to describe advances and innovations, the breadth of their impact, disruptions and advantages they produce, and opportunities created for material scientists.

METHODS

On-line data bases, web searches, and discussions with industry experts, clinicians, and dental researchers informed the content. Emphasis for inclusion was on most recent publications along with innovations presented at trade shows, in press releases, and discovered through discussions leading to web searches for new products.

RESULTS

Digital dentistry has caused disruption on many fronts, bringing new techniques, systems, and interactions that have improved dentistry. Innovation has spurred opportunities for material scientists' future research.

SIGNIFICANCE

With disruptions intrinsic in digital dentistry's new state of the art, patient experience has improved. More restoration options are available delivering longer lifetimes, and better esthetics. Fresh approaches are bringing greater efficiency and accuracy, capitalizing on the interest, capabilities, and skills of those involved. New ways for effective and efficient inter-professional and clinician-patient interactions have evolved. Data can be more efficiently mined for forensic and epidemiological uses. Students have fresh ways of learning. New, often unexpected, partnerships have formed bringing further disruption - and novel advantages. Yes, digital dentistry has been disruptive, but the abundance of positive outcomes argues strongly that it has not been destructive.