Materials and techniques for osseous skull reconstruction

This review paper gives an overview and summarizes the different methods of cranioplasty for reconstruction of the bony skull. There are various origins of cranial defects including trauma, tumours, congenital deformities or postoperative defects due to the surgical procedure itself. The overall goal of skull reconstruction is, on the one hand, appropriate closure, and on the other hand, the perfect cosmetic result. The cranioplasty should be safe, fast and easy to handle. Cost-effectiveness of the procedure represents a further important point. To solve these complex and multimodal problems, different techniques and also various materials for the reconstruction are available. This report details the usual procedures for skull reconstruction, as well as the advantages and limitations of the different materials and operative strategies.