Acrylic Cranioplasty for Cranial Defects Following Meningioma Surgery: A Case Series

Abstract

Background: Meningiomas are the most prevalent primary intracranial tumors, which are treated with surgical resection. This procedure may result in cranial defects, leading to significant functional and aesthetic impairments. Lately, acrylic cranioplasty has emerged as a promising technique for repairing these defects. Objectives: The current retrospective review investigated patients, who underwent reconstructive cranioplasty following meningioma surgery between November 2021 and March 2023. Methods: Thirteen patients, who underwent cranioplasty surgery to repair extensive skull defects following meningioma surgery, were included as subjects. Eleven patients were female and all of them had a history of using progesterone contraception for 10 to 30 years. Two patients were male and had comorbid diabetes mellitus. Patients’ ages varied between 39 and 59 years old. The interval between craniectomy and cranioplasty was about 45 days. The material used for cranioplasty was polymethyl methacrylate prostheses. It started with a CT scan to determine the location and size of the skull defect. We reconstructed the defect, using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to produce a prosthesis that was specific to each patient. This 3D-printed prosthesis was designed to manufacture a mold, which was sterilized and intraoperatively used. Results: We conducted post-operative surgery follow-up for up to 3 months. After 1 month of post-operative surgery follow-up, 2 out of our 13 patients developed cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Conclusions: Acrylic cranioplasty using CAD/CAM technology and 3D printing has shown potential for producing patient-specific implants to repair extensive skull defects. However, careful monitoring for post-operative complications is essential.