Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Digital three-dimensional reconstructed titanium mesh can best achieve physiologic and anatomical molding during large defect of skull in the frontotemporal area.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect of digital three-dimensional reconstructed titanium mesh and manual modeled titanium mesh for cranioplasty of defect of skull.
METHODS: A total of 109 patients with skull defect were randomly assigned to two groups according to different methods: 60 patients with large skull defect were repaired with manual shaped titanium mesh, and 49 patients with digital three-dimensional reconstructed titanium mesh. Titanium mesh was made into individual skull prosthetic replacement by computer three-dimensional reconstruction.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The operation time, the incidence rate of complication and the degree of moulding satisfaction were 108 minutes, 22% and 67% in the manual modeled group, which were 78 minutes, 4% and 100% in the digital three-dimensional reconstructed group respectively. In the digital three-dimensional reconstructed group, the operation time was shorter and the incidence rate of complication was fewer, while the degree of moulding satisfaction was significantly higher than the manual modeled group (P < 0.05). Results have shown that digital three-dimensional reconstructed titanium mesh can save surgical duration, with less postoperative complications and have high satisfaction in cranioplasty