Cranial Reconstruction Using Bioabsorbable Calcified Triglyceride Bone Cement

Numerous materials may be used for the cranial reconstruction, including autologous bone and different types of synthetic resins. During surgical procedures, cranial reconstruction has been performed in many different techniques, with or without fixation. To be ideal for cranioplasty, the material must be resistant to infections, radiolucent, thermally nonconductive, nonionizing and noncorrosive, stable, inert, aesthetically pleasing, protective (with biomechanical properties equal to those of the cranium), malleable and easily contoured, inexpensive, and readily available. However, no currently available materials satisfy all of these criteria. Thus, there has been a continuous search for materials capable of filling the defects of the calvarium not only for aesthetic reasons but also for protecting the skull against possible traumas and complications. 1 KRYPTONITE Bone Cement (Doctors Research Group, Oxford, CT) is a nontoxic product with adhesive, bioabsorbable, and osteoconductive properties; this cement requires mixing of 3 components: the first and the second components are fatty acids derived from castor oil (prepolymer and polyol), whereas the third component is calcium carbonate (Figs. 1A, B). Castor seed of the castor plant is the source of castor oil, which contains between 40% and 60% oil that is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein. The seeds have a wide variety of uses: the Ebers Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian medical treatise believed to date from 1552 BC, translated in 1872 AC; it describes castor oil as a laxative. 2Y4 KRYPTONITE Bone Cement has received a CE mark for distribution in Europe and regulatory clearance in Canada and has been approved by Health Canada; and recently, this cement has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. We present 6 cases of cranial repair using the bioabsorbable calcified triglyceride KRYPTONITE Bone Cement with and without cranial fixation systems.