How Can My Forehead Reconstruction Be Fixed?
Q: Dr. Eppley, I need a skull graft operation (frontal cranioplasty) or frontal cranial bone reshaping.
I had previously been in an accident that led to the fracture of the frontal skull bones. I had the skull patched with a 3D print (peek), but it became higher than the original skull bone, so I needed to either sculpt or file the existing impression so that it was equal to the frontal skull bones, or replace the current impression.
A: In theory the existing frontal skull implant should be able to be burred down. But because it is a PEEK material this is an incredibly firm material so its intraoperative reduction can noi be assured.
Given its custom design and the obvious over correction/protrusion I am suspicious that this was originally a partial thickness bone defect. This makes the use of a material like PEEK ill advised since it simply can not be made very thin. It is more indicated in full thickness skull defect swhich requite thicker implant thicknesses.
I would need to see the implant design file which will show the original skull contour deformity so I can advise a more appropriate frontal skull contouring method. (either bone cements or a different implant material.
Dr. Barry Eppley
World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon
North Meridian Medical Building
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12188-A North Meridian St.
Suite 310
Carmel, IN 46032
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