Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case serious

Abstract Background Custom-designed 3D-printed polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implants have emerged as a promising option for skull bone defect repair. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes, feasibility, and safety of using 3D-printed PEEK implants in patients with skull defects. Methods A...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohamed Ahmed Elnaggar, Hossam Abdelhakim Elnoamany, Mohamed K. Eissa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-02-01
Series:Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-025-00374-0
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832571967600852992
author Mohamed Ahmed Elnaggar
Hossam Abdelhakim Elnoamany
Mohamed K. Eissa
author_facet Mohamed Ahmed Elnaggar
Hossam Abdelhakim Elnoamany
Mohamed K. Eissa
author_sort Mohamed Ahmed Elnaggar
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Custom-designed 3D-printed polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implants have emerged as a promising option for skull bone defect repair. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes, feasibility, and safety of using 3D-printed PEEK implants in patients with skull defects. Methods A retrospective case series was conducted at Menoufia University Hospital, reviewing the medical records of patients who underwent cranioplasty between January 2022 and December 2023. Patients aged 18–65 years with skull bone defects due to trauma, surgical resection, or congenital anomalies were included. All patients underwent preoperative CT scans for custom implant design using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The 3D-printed PEEK implants were fabricated and implanted during surgery. Primary outcome measures included successful implant integration and structural stability, while secondary outcomes assessed complications and patient satisfaction. Results Thirteen patients (76.9% male, mean age 45.8 years) were included. The majority of defects were caused by trauma (76.9%). The mean time to cranioplasty was 6 ± 2 months, and the average operative time was 143 ± 34 min. Mean blood loss was 265 ± 97 cc, and the average hospital stay was 2.85 ± 0.9 days. Complications included dural tears in 38.5% of cases, while no immediate postoperative complications were reported. Late complications included one case of convulsions (7.7%) and one superficial infection (7.7%). Radiographic follow-up confirmed successful implant integration in all patients. Conclusion 3D-printed PEEK implants provide a feasible and effective solution for skull bone defect repair, with favorable outcomes and manageable complication rates. These custom implants offer a personalized approach to cranioplasty, but larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to validate these findings.
format Article
id doaj-art-ebdd605d69144fbd8fd6084d8068017a
institution Kabale University
issn 2520-8225
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery
spelling doaj-art-ebdd605d69144fbd8fd6084d8068017a2025-02-02T12:12:51ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Journal of Neurosurgery2520-82252025-02-014011610.1186/s41984-025-00374-0Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case seriousMohamed Ahmed Elnaggar0Hossam Abdelhakim Elnoamany1Mohamed K. Eissa2Neurosurgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia UniversityNeurosurgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia UniversityNeurosurgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia UniversityAbstract Background Custom-designed 3D-printed polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implants have emerged as a promising option for skull bone defect repair. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes, feasibility, and safety of using 3D-printed PEEK implants in patients with skull defects. Methods A retrospective case series was conducted at Menoufia University Hospital, reviewing the medical records of patients who underwent cranioplasty between January 2022 and December 2023. Patients aged 18–65 years with skull bone defects due to trauma, surgical resection, or congenital anomalies were included. All patients underwent preoperative CT scans for custom implant design using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The 3D-printed PEEK implants were fabricated and implanted during surgery. Primary outcome measures included successful implant integration and structural stability, while secondary outcomes assessed complications and patient satisfaction. Results Thirteen patients (76.9% male, mean age 45.8 years) were included. The majority of defects were caused by trauma (76.9%). The mean time to cranioplasty was 6 ± 2 months, and the average operative time was 143 ± 34 min. Mean blood loss was 265 ± 97 cc, and the average hospital stay was 2.85 ± 0.9 days. Complications included dural tears in 38.5% of cases, while no immediate postoperative complications were reported. Late complications included one case of convulsions (7.7%) and one superficial infection (7.7%). Radiographic follow-up confirmed successful implant integration in all patients. Conclusion 3D-printed PEEK implants provide a feasible and effective solution for skull bone defect repair, with favorable outcomes and manageable complication rates. These custom implants offer a personalized approach to cranioplasty, but larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to validate these findings.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-025-00374-0PEEK implantsCranioplastySkull defect
spellingShingle Mohamed Ahmed Elnaggar
Hossam Abdelhakim Elnoamany
Mohamed K. Eissa
Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case serious
Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery
PEEK implants
Cranioplasty
Skull defect
title Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case serious
title_full Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case serious
title_fullStr Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case serious
title_full_unstemmed Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case serious
title_short Clinical evaluation of 3D PEEK implants for skull bone defects repair: a single center case serious
title_sort clinical evaluation of 3d peek implants for skull bone defects repair a single center case serious
topic PEEK implants
Cranioplasty
Skull defect
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-025-00374-0
work_keys_str_mv AT mohamedahmedelnaggar clinicalevaluationof3dpeekimplantsforskullbonedefectsrepairasinglecentercaseserious
AT hossamabdelhakimelnoamany clinicalevaluationof3dpeekimplantsforskullbonedefectsrepairasinglecentercaseserious
AT mohamedkeissa clinicalevaluationof3dpeekimplantsforskullbonedefectsrepairasinglecentercaseserious