TY - JOUR
T1 - The current state of cranioplasty in Europe - Results from a European cranioplasty survey
AU - Naser, Paul Vincent
AU - Tsitsopoulos, Parmenion
AU - Zacharias, Friederike
AU - Castaño-Leon, Ana M
AU - Buki, Andras
AU - Depreitere, Bart
AU - Van Essen, Thomas
AU - Korhonen, Tommi K
AU - Mee, Harry
AU - Hossain, Iftakher
AU - Posti, Jussi
AU - Lippa, Laura
AU - Papadopoulos, Marios C
AU - Terpolilli, Nicole
AU - Marklund, Niklas
AU - Petr, Ondra
AU - Toth, Peter
AU - Luoto, Teemu
AU - Krieg, Sandro M
AU - Unterberg, Andreas W
AU - Younsi, Alexander
AU - European Cranioplasty Survey Group
A2 - Meling, Torstein Ragnar
N1 - © 2025 The Authors.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - INTRODUCTION: Cranioplasty, a surgical procedure to restore skull integrity and aesthetic contour following decompressive craniectomy, poses challenges in material selection and timing, driven by the lack of guidelines and ongoing regulatory changes.RESEARCH QUESTION: This study aimed to provide an overview of current cranioplasty practices in Europe, explicitly addressing a potential shift towards alloplastic materials and the management of patients with concomitant hydrocephalus.MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online survey was conducted among European neurosurgical centers from January to March 2024, collecting data on material preferences, timing of procedures, and management strategies for cranioplasty. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed on 110 complete responses.RESULTS: Respondents favored alloplastic materials over autologous bone for cranioplasty, citing regulatory constraints and reduced infection risk as primary reasons. Variability was observed in the timing of procedures and the management of patients with hydrocephalus, with most centers adopting staged approaches.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The shift towards alloplastic materials in cranioplasty reflects regulatory pressures rather than material-specific considerations. Despite variability in practice, our findings underscore the need for standardized guidelines and further research to optimize patient outcomes. This study provides valuable insights into current practices and highlights areas for future investigation in cranioplasty.
AB - INTRODUCTION: Cranioplasty, a surgical procedure to restore skull integrity and aesthetic contour following decompressive craniectomy, poses challenges in material selection and timing, driven by the lack of guidelines and ongoing regulatory changes.RESEARCH QUESTION: This study aimed to provide an overview of current cranioplasty practices in Europe, explicitly addressing a potential shift towards alloplastic materials and the management of patients with concomitant hydrocephalus.MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online survey was conducted among European neurosurgical centers from January to March 2024, collecting data on material preferences, timing of procedures, and management strategies for cranioplasty. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed on 110 complete responses.RESULTS: Respondents favored alloplastic materials over autologous bone for cranioplasty, citing regulatory constraints and reduced infection risk as primary reasons. Variability was observed in the timing of procedures and the management of patients with hydrocephalus, with most centers adopting staged approaches.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The shift towards alloplastic materials in cranioplasty reflects regulatory pressures rather than material-specific considerations. Despite variability in practice, our findings underscore the need for standardized guidelines and further research to optimize patient outcomes. This study provides valuable insights into current practices and highlights areas for future investigation in cranioplasty.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85218969973&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bas.2025.104214
DO - 10.1016/j.bas.2025.104214
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 40103849
SN - 2772-5294
VL - 5
JO - Brain & spine
JF - Brain & spine
M1 - 104214
ER -