Patient specific PMMA customized cranioplasty using 3D printed silicone molds: technical note.

INTRODUCTION Cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy can be performed with several techniques and materials. With the common use of 3D printing, custom cranioplasty can be produced at affordable cost. Aim of this technical note is to describe our technique for producing patient specific PMMA cranioplasty using 3D printed silicone molds. MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled seven patients from January 2020 to June 2021 who required surgery for cranioplasty. 3D printing was used to produce silicone molds for defining the exact shape of the PMMA cranioplasty, according to the CT scan of the patient. RESULTS We performed 7 procedures. The mean time of the surgery was 80 minutes. All cranioplasties perfectly matched the patient specific anatomy. No complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS Using 3D printed patient specific silicone molds and PMMA resulted to be effective,with affordable costs and ensuring a good cosmetic result. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.