Method for performing single-stage cranioplasty reconstruction with a clear custom craniofacial implant
A method for performing a cranioplasty includes the steps of prefabricating a sonolucent craniofacial implant based upon information generated by preoperative scans, creating a cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect, and attaching the craniofacial implant to the cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect. The craniofacial implant is composed of a material that is sonolucent and exhibits attenuation of less than 6 dB/cm.
1. A method for performing a cranioplasty, comprising:
creating a cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect;
positioning a clear craniofacial implant over the cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect;
defining a boundary of the cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect on the clear craniofacial implant; and
shaping the clear craniofacial implant based upon the boundary of the cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect defined on the clear craniofacial implant for optimal fit of the craniofacial implant along the cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of shaping includes trimming the clear craniofacial implant using medical grade tools, computer-assisted and/or robot-assisted devices in an operating room along the boundary.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further including the steps of identifying a diseased portion associated with aberrant craniofacial and/or brain anatomy and generating a computer-readable reconstruction of a patient's anatomy associated with the diseased portion for the purpose of designing and fabricating the clear craniofacial implant.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of creating a cranial, craniofacial, and/or facial defect includes cutting out a diseased portion of a skull to be replaced with the clear craniofacial implant.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a neurological device is incorporated within the clear craniofacial implant.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cranioplasty is a single-stage cranioplasty.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the clear craniofacial implant is sonolucent or radiolucent.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the clear craniofacial implant includes an etching or a marking that indicates a desired implanted orientation of the clear craniofacial implant, identifies anatomy beneath the defect, a tumor sight, an aneurysm location, or a functional component, or identifies a prescription, a disease state, or a date of surgery, or type of implantable neurotechnology housed within the clear craniofacial implant.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a neurological device with constant or intermittent function is incorporated within the clear craniofacial implant.