Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (16): 2580-2586.doi: 10.12307/2023.172

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Selection and biological characteristics of repair materials for skull base reconstruction

Huai Peng1, Zhang Yipeng2, Wang Xi1, Wang Wei1, Wang Liang1, Chen Lei1   

  1. 1Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin 300450, China; 2Department of Pathology, PKUCare CNOOC Hospital, Tianjin 300452, China
  • Received:2022-03-16 Accepted:2022-06-18 Online:2023-06-08 Published:2022-11-11
  • Contact: Chen Lei, MD, Chief physician, Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin 300450, China
  • About author:Huai Peng, Master, Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin 300450, China

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Transnasal-sphenoidal neuroendoscopic surgery has become the most common surgical method for anterior skull base midline and lateral skull base location due to its characteristics of minimal invasion, full exposure and quick recovery. With the continuous expansion of surgical indications, the scope of skull base opening becomes larger and larger, then the incidence of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage is correspondingly increasing. Severe cerebrospinal fluid leakage can cause fatal intracranial infection. Therefore, after neuroendoscopic resection of tumors, reliable skull base reconstruction is an essential condition for successful surgery. In this paper, the principles and methods of skull base reconstruction and biological properties of different materials used in skull base reconstruction are reviewed.
OBJECTIVE: To expound the principles and methods of skull base reconstruction, summarize the research progress of different reconstruction materials and the role of different biological characteristics in skull base reconstruction.
METHODS: Articles were retrieved on Wanfang and PubMed databases published from January 2012 to January 2022. The Chinese and English search terms were “skull base reconstruction, neuroendoscopy, skull base bone defect, transnasal-sphenoidal operative approach, multiple repair, pedicled mucosal flap, polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK), hydroxylapatite”. Finally, 60 articles were included for review. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Even if the skull base defect is getting bigger and bigger, the purpose of skull base reconstruction is still to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage and avoid serious complications after transnasal-sphenoidal neuroendoscopic surgery. Multilayer repair is a universally accepted principle. (2) Bone-like materials such as polyether-ether-ketone and hydroxylapatite for bony support are less clinically used because of their high price and cumbersome preoperative preparation. Clinicians mostly rely on dural-like biomaterials and pedicled mucosal flaps to complete the repair. However, limited by the weak repair support and the blood supply of the mucosal flap, a small number of patients still have a certain risk of cerebrospinal fluid leakage. (3) Therefore, intraoperative dura-like and bone-like structure artificial biomaterials and pedicled mucosal flaps to repair skull base defects are in line with the restoration of the anatomical repair of the skull base, and are helpful for the regeneration of the dura and bone structures. The research and development of biomaterials integrating hydrophobic tissue + dural-like mater + bone-like structure + mucosa have great prospects for skull base reconstruction.  

Key words: skull base reconstruction, neuroendoscopy, skull base bone defect, transnasal -sphenoidal operative approach, multiple repair, pedicled mucosal flap, polyether-ether-ketone, hydroxylapatite

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