Published online Mar 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i7.1593
Peer-review started: November 17, 2022
First decision: January 3, 2023
Revised: January 15, 2023
Accepted: February 13, 2023
Article in press: February 13, 2023
Published online: March 6, 2023
Titanium mesh cranioplasty is often performed after decompressive craniectomy. Spontaneous fracture of the titanium prosthesis is an extremely rare postoperative complication. Here, we report a 10-year-old boy who presented with a spon
A 10-year-old boy presented with a 1-wk history of a tender bulge over the left temporo-parieto-occipital scalp. He had undergone a temporo-parieto-occipital titanium mesh cranioplasty 26 mo previously. He denied antecedent head trauma. Computerized tomography disclosed a perpendicular fissure in the titanium mesh, suggesting a diagnosis of spontaneous titanium mesh fracture. He underwent a second temporo-parieto-occipital cranioplasty and made an uneventful recovery. Three-dimensional modeling and finite element analyses were used to explore potential risk factors of titanium mesh fracture.
We report a case of spontaneous fracture of a titanium mesh cranioplasty implant. The current case and literature review indicate that titanium mesh implants should be well-anchored to the base of bony defects to prevent fatigue-induced fractures.
Core Tip: Titanium mesh cranioplasty is often indicated after decompressive craniectomy. We present a rare case of a spontaneous fracture of a titanium mesh cranioplasty implant in a 10-year-old boy. By conducting a literature review and finite element analysis, we learned that titanium mesh prosthetic implants should be well-anchored to the base of bony defects to prevent fatigue-induced fractures.