Three-dimensional personalized porous polyethylen cranioplasty in patients at increased risk of surgical site infection

Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most consistently reported complication of cranioplasty. No material showed a categorical superiority in the incidence of infection. Porous polyethylene (PE) is considered a low risk material regarding SSI. However, the literature data are very limited. Thus, our objective was to verify the assumed low incidence of SSI after PE cranioplasty in patients at high risk of SSI. The primary objective was the infection rate, while secondary objectives were implant exposure, revision and cosmetic results.

Patients who underwent three-dimensional (3D) personalized PE cranioplasty in the period 2014–2023 were evaluated prospectively. Only patients with an increased risk of SSI, and a satisfactory clinical conditions were included in the study.

Thirty procedures were performed in 30 patients. Cranioplasty was performed 23 times after hemispheric decompressive craniectomy, five times after limited size craniotomy and two times after bifrontal decompressive craniectomy. Risk factors for the development of infection were 18 previous SSIs, 16 previous repeated revision surgeries, four intraoperatively opened frontal sinuses and two times radiotherapy. Neither infection nor implant exposure was detected in any patient. All patients were satisfied with the aesthetic result. In two cases, a revision was performed due to postoperative epidural hematoma.

Three-dimensional personalized PE cranioplasty is associated with an extremely low incidence of SSI even in high-risk patients. However, our conclusions can only be confirmed in larger studies.