Repair of Defects in Skull by Ready Made Vitallium Plates

The various methods for repair of defects in the skull have not been entirely satisfactory. This subject has been reviewed by Grant and Norcross.1In 1936 Charles S. Venable and his associates2made an experimental study of the reaction set up in the tissues by various substances placed in the body. Various metals were studied together with a number of the so-called rustless and noncorrosive steels. Every substance that was studied (with one exception) produced changes in the tissues, necrosis of bone and other electrolytic effects. One alloy, called vitallium, made of cobalt, chromium and molybdenum, did not produce any reaction in the tissues. According to the authors, their "experiments were repeated several times to check and recheck the apparent fact that this singular alloy seemed consistently to remain inert." These observations have proved to be of great practical value. Vitallium is now being used extensively in bone