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All topics
  1. What it is
  2. Why it matters
  3. Timing
  4. The procedure
  5. Patient journey
  6. Recovery supplies
  7. Implant materials
  8. Side-by-side
  9. US manufacturers
  10. What the evidence says
  11. Value analysis
  12. Questions to ask
  13. Glossary
  14. Resources
  15. References

Terms

Glossary

Craniectomy
Surgery that removes part of the skull and leaves it out, usually to relieve brain swelling.
Craniotomy
Surgery that removes part of the skull and puts it back during the same operation.
Cranioplasty
Surgery to repair a defect in the skull.
Autologous
From the patient's own body.
Alloplastic
Made from a manufactured, non-biological material.
Patient-specific implant (PSI)
An implant designed from a patient's own CT scan to match the defect.
Dura
The tough protective membrane covering the brain.
Resorption
Gradual breakdown and loss of replaced bone.
Osseointegration
Bone growing into and bonding with an implant surface.
Exposure or dehiscence
The wound opening or the implant becoming visible through thin scalp.
Syndrome of the trephined
Neurological decline after craniectomy that can improve once the skull is repaired.