The skull is a very important organ and tissue in the human body, and it is also one of the hardest bones in the human body. It plays an important role in protecting brain tissue and maintaining normal and stable intracranial pressure. But nine times out of ten things go wrong in life. In life, people often suffer from skull defects due to one or another reason.
In China, more than 1.3 million people are injured due to traffic accidents every year. Craniocerebral trauma accounts for 17%-23% of all injuries. The mortality rate of severe craniocerebral injury is greater than 20%, and the severe disability rate is greater than 50%. This is a very large disease group, and once a skull defect occurs, the skull should be repaired in time.
Cranial repair is currently a relatively routine operation in neurosurgery, and the technology is quite mature. The repair effect is mainly restricted by the skull repair material. Because the titanium alloy materials commonly used in clinical practice are not very satisfactory, they may cause rejection reactions, infections, sensitivity to hot and cold after surgery, interference with medical examinations such as CT and MRI, and other shortcomings.
With the development of medical technology and progress in materials science, many polymer biomimetic materials have been used in clinical medicine. The application of a large number of polymer materials has solved many material problems for doctors in important surgeries and has also brought good news to patients.
PEEK material
As a new type of medical implant material, PEEK plastic material stands out among many medical materials due to its excellent characteristics and has become a popular material for skull repair. PEEK is an excellent material with properties very close to human bones. The elastic modulus of traditional titanium mesh materials is much higher than that of bones. When used as a skull repair material, it can lead to slowed bone healing and even bone degradation. The elastic modulus of PEEK material is very close to that of bone, and the stress on the bone is not completely borne by the implant, making the bone healthier. PEEK has a strong texture and will not risk denting due to stress; it has good thermal insulation and can avoid thermal expansion and contraction. Although titanium mesh material has good heat conductivity, this is a big disadvantage for patients. When patients are affected by the temperature difference between hot and cold outside, the cranial cavity environment changes, which affects comfort. This is also the main cause of discomfort caused by many cranial repair surgeries. The PEEK material uses three-dimensional technology to reshape the bone plate and form it in one step. After being embedded in the skull, it can be perfectly connected to the bone window, making the appearance more perfect.
Many patients will have some questions, what is the service life of PEEK materials? Patients don’t have to worry about this. PEEK material is a special polymer material with very high stability that can be used for a lifetime. Moreover, it has good biocompatibility, can be complexly shaped, has excellent mechanical properties, good protective performance, and high postoperative comfort. It has gradually become a new trend in skull repair materials.
(Source: Department of Neurosurgery, Civil Aviation General Hospital. If there is any infringement, please contact us in time to delete it)