Craniotomy closures and plugs
Strip fasteners and cranial plugs for use in reattaching a skull flap removed during brain surgery and methods of using the same. The strip fasteners are flexible and can be shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap. The cranial plugs can be used to reattach the skull flap or they can be installed after the skull flap is reattached using the strip fasteners. In some embodiments, the cranial plug(s) and strip fasteners can be installed at the same time. The strip fasteners and cranial plugs are designed to encourage bone growth and healing of the skull flap and they can be used to deliver medication and bone growth enhancement compositions to the surgical site.
1. A strip fastener for reattaching a skull flap removed from a skull during brain surgery, the skull flap having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter defined by a bone edge surface, the bone edge surface having a vertical component extending from the top surface to the bottom surface and a horizontal component extending around the perimeter in a lateral direction, the strip fastener comprising
a flexible strip having a bottom portion and a top portion and having length and sufficient flexibility to be formed lengthwise around the perimeter in the lateral direction and alongside the bone edge surface, the strip having a plurality of flap tabs spaced along the length of the bottom portion of the strip and in engagement thereto, and a plurality of skull tabs spaced along the length of the top portion of the strip and in engagement thereto, wherein the flap tabs protrude transversely to the length and away from the bottom portion of the strip and protrude perpendicularly to the skull tabs;
wherein the flap tabs are adapted to be disposed over and adjacent to the skull flap and the skull tabs are adapted to be disposed over and adjacent to the skull when the strip is positioned alongside the bone edge surface, and wherein the flap tabs are structured to be attached to the to the skull flap and the skull tabs are structured to be attached to the skull with attachment means, thereby reattaching the skull flap to the skull.
2. The strip fastener of claim 1 wherein a sidewall of the strip is adapted to be affixed to the bone edge surface or an edge of the skull.
3. The strip fastener of claim 2 having openings disposed in the sidewall, said openings being selected from the group consisting of holes, slots or slits or a combination of two or more thereof.
4. The strip fastener of claim 1 further comprising floor tabs spaced along the bottom portion of the strip and in between the flap tabs.