[Effectiveness of digital three-dimensional titanium mesh in repairing skull defect under temporalis and...

To investigate the technique and the effectiveness of digital three-dimensional (3-D) titanium mesh in repairing skull defect under the temporalis and reconstructing temporal muscle attachment points.

Between January 2009 and December 2012, 58 patients with skull defect after decompressive craniectomy at the frontal temporal region were treated. Of 58 patients, 33 were male and 25 were female, aged 17-62 years (mean, 36.2 years). The disease duration was 15 weeks to 25 months (mean, 5.8 months). The size of skull defect ranged from 8 cm x 6 cm to 15 cm x 12 cm. The patients underwent skull impairment patch surgery with digital 3-D titanium mesh and reconstruction of the temporal muscle attachment points at titanium mesh temporal corresponding position.

The operation time was 60-100 minutes (mean, 87 minutes). After operation, 2 cases had slight red swelling with little exudation at skin incision margin, which was cured after symptomatic treatment; 2 cases had symptom of headache, which disappeared after incision healing; primary healing of incision was obtained in the other patients. Fifty-eight patients were followed up 6-24 months (mean, 16 months). The patients were satisfied with shaping, and had no chewing pain. Head CT after operation showed good fixation of titanium mesh and titanium nail, and satisfactory skull shape symmetry; no postoperative complication of subcutaneous effusion, intracranial bleeding, titanium mesh loosening, or titanium mesh exposure occurred.

The surgery technique of digital 3-D titanium mesh to repair skull defect in frontal temporal region and to reconstruct temporal muscle attachment points at the corresponding position of titanium mesh, basically can obtain anatomical reduction of the skull, frontal temporal, and each layer of scalp. It has the advantages of less complication, less titanium nail, and satisfactory shape.