Frontal bone tumor resection and parietal bone defect repair with immediate cranioplasty surgery using additive manufacturing–customized Ti-6Al-4V alloy implants

This paper reports the case of a female patient, with a bone tumor in the frontal region and bone defect in the parietal side of the skull, who underwent one-step cranioplasty surgery.

Preoperative surgical planning was performed via virtual 3D modeling of the patient’s computed tomography, and biomodels consistent with the skull’s geometry were produced. The surgery was conducted using customized implants made up of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloys, and the postoperative results were obtained.

The bone cancer was completely eliminated, the bone portion of the frontal bone and left orbital roof were removed, and the eyeball was leveled. Additively manufactured implants allow the fabrication of perfectly fit implants that reconstruct the patient’s complex bone structure and provide skull protection. In addition, additively manufactured biomodels and implants facilitate surgical planning with greater precision.

Cranioplasty performed with customized implants enables complete healing with optimal aesthetic results, making it an attractive approach for large craniofacial repair.