Additive Manufacturing and Reverse Engineering in Cranioplasty: A Personalized Approach to Minimize Skin Flap Complications

Cranioplasty is a procedure performed to repair defects in the human skull bone by surgically reconstructing shape and function of cranium. Several complications, both intraoperative postoperative, can affect procedure’s outcome (e.g., inaccuracies reconstructed shape, infections, ulcer, necrosis). Although design additive manufactured implants preoperative stage has improved general quality cranioplasties, potential complications remain significant, especially presence critical skin tissue conditions. In this paper, an innovative improve chances positive when facing conditions cranioplasty described. The proposed approach relies on structured planning phase articulated series digital analyses physical simulations personalized medical devices that guide surgeon defining surgical cuts designing implant. ultimate goal fast recovery for patient. procedure, described extenso was positively tested case study, which presented high risk factors.