Methyl methacrylate cranioplasty

Med J Malaysia. 2004 Aug;59(3):418-21.

Abstract

We conducted a prospective study in order to audit our experience of repairing cranial defects using Methyl methacrylate. This included a total of 49 patients undergoing cranioplasty using methyl methacrylate, of which 45 were males and 4 females. The age of patients at the time of surgery ranged from 16 to 40 years old, with an average of 24 years. Malays were the majority (67%), followed by Chinese (23%) and Indian (10%). Cranial defects were mainly caused by motor vehicle accident (94%), while gunshot wounds, industrial accidents and tumours, each contribute 2%. Bone flaps were commonly removed during previous surgery related to traumatic subdural haemorrhage (33%), contusion (21%) and intracerebral haemorrhage (14%). The size of cranial defects ranged from 28 cm2 to 440 cm2, with an average of 201 cm2. Most had right sided (55%) and lateral defects [temporoparietal (52%) followed by temporal (16%), frontal (16%), frontotemporal (14%) and occipital (2%)]. Duration of surgery ranged from 70 to 275 minutes, with an average of 135 minutes. Nine of 12 patients (75%) with neurological disability had some improvement while 85% of symptomatic patients had symptoms improvement after cranioplasty. The infection rate in this series was 4%.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Plates
  • Bone Substitutes / chemistry
  • Bone Substitutes / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Headache / etiology
  • Headache / surgery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures
  • Polymethyl Methacrylate / chemistry
  • Polymethyl Methacrylate / therapeutic use*
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prostheses and Implants*
  • Skull / abnormalities
  • Skull / surgery*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Bone Substitutes
  • Polymethyl Methacrylate