Clinical evaluation of the polypropylene-polyester knit used as a cranioplasty material.

Abstract

The paper presents clinical evaluation of the polypropylene-polyester knit used as a cranioplasty material. Between year 1980 and 2002 275 cranioplastic procedures using the polypropylene-polyester plates Codubix were carried out in the Department of Neurosurgery of the Medical University of Łódź. There were 146 patients who primarily sustained head injuries and 129 non-traumatic patients with craniectomies carried out for various other reasons. In the majority of cases, i.e. in 158 patients, cranioplasty was performed later than 6 months after the primary surgery. The largest implant measured 430 cm2. Excellent and good outcome was achieved in 92% of the patients whereas the rate of local infection was 8%. Codubix knitted polypropylene-polyester implant proved to be useful and a safe cranioplastic material.