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Updated: Oct 30, 2025

3D Planning and Printing of Patient Specific Implants for Reconstruction of Bony Defects
Published on: August 4, 2020
Customized Cost-Effective Polymethyl-Methacrylate Cranioplasty Implant Using Three-Dimensional Printer
Sambardhan Dabadi1, Raju Raj Dhungel1, Upama Sharma2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Annapurna Neurological Institute and Allied Sciences, Maitighar, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Abstract:
There is no doubt that many synthetic materials used in cranioplasty have given good result regarding patient's calvarial shape. However, the use of these materials is costly to the patient and requires complex intraoperative process. There has been a long history regarding the use of acrylic bone cement called as polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) as an implant due to its desirable properties. Here, we present three cases of simple, cost effective manually sculpted calvarial defect using three-dimensional (3D) printer. Sharing the achievement and challenges, we want to focus that the 3D customized implant of PMMA can be used as bone substitute.

