PEEK skull implants are suitable for traumatic skull defects, post-tumor resection defects, congenital skull deformities, and infectious skull defect repair, and are one of the mainstream choices for cranial repair

 

Cranial Repair: PEEK Cranial Implant Customization - Example 55

 

Patient's condition
 

A 50-year-old man underwent craniotomy hematoma removal and flap decompression surgery for intracerebral hemorrhage, with a skull defect of approximately 6 cm × 8 cm on the right side of the head. The patient is recovering well, but the skull defect is sunken in appearance, and the patient is concerned about the lack of protection of brain tissue and psychological stress, and wants to undergo skull repair surgery.

 

PEEK Implant Customization Process
 

Data collection: First, the patient undergoes a thin-slice CT scan of the head to obtain imaging data in .dcm format. These data accurately document the location and size of the skull defect as well as the morphological structure of the surrounding skull.

 

Design: The medical team imported the CT data into professional design software to design the curvature of the PEEK prosthesis based on the symmetry of the patient's skull. The implant is designed with a gap of about 0.5mm - 0.6mm to avoid over-squeezing or over-fitting with the surrounding tissues. The thickness of the prosthesis varies from 2.0mm to 5.0mm depending on the site to ensure sufficient strength and similarity to the original skull. The surface of the prosthesis is designed with 3mm and 4mm interspersed apertures, which is conducive to tissue growth and enhances stability.

 

Fabrication: After the design scheme is determined, the PEEK material is accurately made according to the design model through 3D printing technology.

 

 

 

Advantages of PEEK cranial implants:

 

Excellent biocompatibility reduces the risk of rejection

 

No metal irritation: PEEK is an inert polymer material and does not contain metal components, which avoids the electrolytic reaction and metal ion precipitation problems that may be caused by metal materials such as titanium alloys, and reduces the risk of long-term complications (such as headache, dizziness, skin allergies) after surgery.

 

Good tissue affinity: the material is chemically stable, highly compatible with human tissues, and rarely rejects after surgery, especially suitable for patients who are allergic to metals.

 

The mechanical properties are close to those of natural bone

 

Strength and elasticity matching: The elastic modulus of PEEK (about 3-4 GPa) is closer to that of human cortical bone (about 10-30 GPa) (about 110 GPa for titanium alloy), which can reduce the "stress shielding effect" (the metal material atrophies the surrounding bones due to excessive rigidity), which is more in line with the mechanical conduction needs of the skull.

 

Strong impact resistance: The material has good toughness and impact resistance, which can effectively protect brain tissue and reduce the risk of secondary injury.

 

Precisely tailored to fit the skull anatomy

 

3D printing personalized molding: 3D reconstruction is carried out based on the patient's CT data, and the implant is customized to match the defect site through computer-aided design (CAD) and additive manufacturing technology (3D printing) to ensure that the curvature, thickness, and pore structure are consistent with the native skull, and the postoperative appearance is symmetrical and beautiful.

 

Seamless fit to the bone window: The edge of the implant can be designed with a small gap of 0.5-1mm to avoid excessive squeezing with the bone margin, while at the same time achieving a secure fixation with the surrounding skull (e.g. titanium nails or absorbable screws) through the reserved fixation holes or connecting plate grooves.

 

Excellent imaging compatibility

 

No artifact interference: PEEK is a non-metallic material, and there is no metal artifact in CT, MRI and other imaging examinations, which does not affect the observation and evaluation of brain tissue and intracranial lesions after surgery, which is convenient for long-term follow-up.

 

Clear Vision: The material itself can be clearly visualized in the image through special treatments (such as the addition of a contrast agent), which is convenient for the doctor to determine the position and fit of the implant.

 

The material properties are superior, and the operation and recovery are more convenient

 

Lightweight: PEEK has a low density (about 1.3 g/cm³) and weighs only 1/3 of the titanium mesh, reducing the overall load on the skull and improving patient comfort.

 

Flexible operation: the material can be shaped by heat during surgery (melting point of about 340°C), adapting to minor anatomical variations and shortening the operation time; At the same time, the surface can be designed with a porous structure (pore size 3-5mm) to promote the growth of blood vessels and tissues, enhance stability and accelerate healing.

 

Strong corrosion resistance: long-term implantation in the body does not degrade or age, and its chemical stability is better than that of traditional polymer materials (such as polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA).

 

Long-term safety and functional benefits

 

No low-temperature conductivity: It avoids the "cold conduction" phenomenon of metal materials such as titanium mesh in a low-temperature environment, and reduces the patient's head discomfort (such as cold pain).

 

Supports skull growth (suitable for children): For pediatric patients, PEEK material is malleable and can be slightly deformed with skull development, reducing growth limitations (traditional metal materials may affect skull development due to rigid fixation).

 

A comparative summary of traditional materials

 

Material category	PEEK	Titanium mesh	PMMA bone cement
Biocompatible	High Quality (No Metal Reaction)	Good (low risk of metal ions)	Moderate (may cause inflammation)
Mechanical compatibility	Close to bone, stress-free shielding	High rigidity and obvious stress shielding	It is brittle and easy to break
Imaging interference	No artifacts	There are metallic artifacts	A small number of artifacts
Degree of customization	Highly personalized (3D printing)	Intraoperative shaping is required, and accuracy is limited	Hand shaping, low precision
Long-term stability	Corrosion-resistant and non-degradable	Corrosion-resistant, but heavier	It is easy to age and wear

Applicable scenarios
 

PEEK skull implants are suitable for traumatic skull defects, post-tumor defects, congenital skull deformities, and infectious skull defect repair, especially for patients with high aesthetic requirements, long-term imaging follow-up, or metal allergy. With the popularization of 3D printing technology, its application range is gradually expanding, and it has become one of the mainstream choices for cranial restoration.