[Utility of bone replacement material in cochlear implant, skull base and sinus surgery: our experience]

To solve certain problems that arise in cochlear implant, sinus and skull base surgery, the use of bone cement (PolyBone®) has been introduced in our department. With the goal of making use of surgical bone cements, combining bone growth factors and polyphosphates has allowed the study of these biological materials.

We present a total of 28 patients aged between 2 and 69 years (mean age of 29.2 years) in whom PolyBone® has been used as an additional therapeutic tool in the ENT surgical area. Complications occurred in 2 patients (7.4%). One was minor, solved with conservative treatment; one was a major complication that required surgery to extract the material and remove the implant. In the other 26 patients (92.6%), excellent results were achieved.

Different autogenous and alloplastic materials are of great utility for fistula management, cavity filling or sinus obliteration, among other uses. The surgeon must understand their biological properties, fundamental characteristics, production technique and potential surgical applications to be able to prevent future complications. Among these materials, bone cement (PolyBone®) is an effective alternative that should be considered in surgical management of ENT pathology.