2Karaelmas Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Radyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Zonguldak OBJECTIVE: An osseous flap is kept under a fridge-environment or within the patient's body. If any deterioration occurs in the fridge or any infection develops in the body portion where it is re-located, the osseous flap is rejected. Sometimes it is troublesome to re-shape or give the most proper contour in cases with broad craniectomy by using acrylic. We introduced a simple and easily performed acrylic cranioplasty technique where the originally infected bony part is used as a mould.
METHODS: A broad fronto-parieto-temporal decompression was performed in a sixtyyear- old man with right cerebral artery occlusion. Autologous cranioplasty was not performed because of risk of infection after seven months. A ready-made moulding material, after soaked in water for 15 seconds, was used on the outer surface of the bony flap in 5-6 layers and an external surface moulding of the native bone was prepared. Later on, the moulding was sterilized by ethylene oxide. This moulding was used in cranioplasty by methylenemethacrylate.
RESULTS: During the postoperative period, the cranial convexity was satisfactory and the cosmetic result was successful.
CONCLUSION: In situations where the patient's original bone can not be used such as when the elements of deep freezing are not suitable, there is a risk of developing infections after autologous cranioplasty, infection development in the body part where the osseous flap is placed, or when a tumor focus is found on the outer surface of the bone without forming any deformity or in pediatric patients where large craniectomy operations are performed, a copy of the original bone can be prepared and successful cosmetic results could be achieved by this simple and easy-to-use technique we described in this report.
Anahtar Kelimeler : Acrylic, Cranioplasty, Methylmethacrylate, Mould