Story of the first Ceramics 3D Printed Skull Implant

The medical industry has always leaned towards the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, and the technological advances in Ceramics 3D printing today is offering a level of maturity that can meet the requirements of the biomedical applications.

Unlike implants that are made porous through the addition of organic foam or porogens, additive manufacturing software makes it possible to control the location and geometry of the pores of ceramic substitutes.

As a result, this means the proper structuring of porosity and constant diameter of the fully connected pores are possible, hereby promoting the osteointegration and mechanical strength of substitutes. The risk of inflammation due to micro debris breaking during handling and positioning of the implant after an operation are greatly reduced.

The Skin Flap Syndrome is one such scenario where Ceramics 3D printing technology can play a part. After an accident, when the skull is not protecting the brain anymore, air pressure is exerted directly on the brain which leaves the cognitive and brain functions in a “delicate situation”.  So, it’s important to rebuild the skull as quickly as possible. 

To integrate a customized prosthesis, the properties of the HAP (Hydroxyapatite) ceramic developed by 3DCeram allows for a perfect integration with the bone tissue.

With the ceramic material’s biocompatibility and the porous part created around the implant, 75% of the implant periphery was bounded with the native bone after a year.

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