The customized production of 3D printed PEEK skull repair implants requires a combination of medical imaging, digital design and 3D printing additive manufacturing technology.

 

3D Printing PEEK Cranial Repair Implant - Example 56

 

3D Printed PEEK Cranial Repair Implant Customization Process

 

The customized production of 3D printed PEEK implants needs to combine medical imaging, digital design and 3D printing additive manufacturing technology, TOPYOUTH3D after fully understanding the patient's skull damage, the 56th PEEK skull repair implant was produced through 3D printing, and the specific process is as follows:

 

Medical imaging data acquisition
 

Acquisition method: CT or MRI scans the patient's skull defect area to obtain high-resolution 3D image data.

 

Purpose: To accurately record the shape, size and surrounding bone structure of skull defects, so as to provide a basis for subsequent design.

 

 

Digital model design

 

Procedure

Use medical image processing software, such as Mimics, to transform the scan data into a 3D digital model.

 

Use CAD design software, such as SolidWorks, to repair and optimize the model to ensure that the implant is perfectly matched to the defect area.

 

The skull anatomy, mechanical distribution and postoperative aesthetic needs should be considered in the design process.

 

 

3D printing production

 

Technology selection: FFF (fused filament fabrication molding) 3D printing technology, PEEK material is extruded by heating the 3D printer nozzle and stacked layer by layer to form a three-dimensional skull plate entity

 

Equipment selection: TOPYOUTH3D-M3-FFF 3D printer

 

Material properties: PEEK filaments are stacked layer by layer at high temperatures to form implants with specific porosity and mechanical properties

 

Advantages of 3D printing: It can realize the precise manufacturing of complex curved surfaces and personalized structures, which is difficult to replace by traditional processing technology.

 

 

Post-processing and sterilization

 

Post-processing: Surface polishing, deburring and other treatments are applied to the printed implants to improve biocompatibility.

 

Sterilization: Sterilization by ethylene oxide or gamma radiation sterilization to ensure that the implant meets medical standards.

 

 Quality testing and clinical fitting

 

Finished product testing: mechanical property testing (e.g., compressive strength, elastic modulus) and biocompatibility verification (e.g., cytotoxicity testing)

 

Fit: The doctor adjusts the implant according to the actual situation of the patient to ensure the fit and safety during surgical implantation.

 

Application benefits of 3D printed PEEK skull repair implants

 

Biocompatibility and mechanical properties advantages

 

Biocompatibility: PEEK material has no metal ion release, high affinity with human tissues, and low risk of postoperative infection

 

Mechanical matching: PEEK's modulus of elasticity (about 3-4 GPa) is close to that of human bone (2-30 GPa), which can reduce the "stress shielding" effect (the problem of bone atrophy caused by the high elastic modulus of traditional titanium alloy implants)

 

 Highly customized and precisely adapted

 

Personalized manufacturing: Customized based on the patient's own skull data, the implant fits more than 95% of the defect area, which can restore the normal anatomical shape of the skull

 

Aesthetic Enhancement: Avoid the appearance of bulges or depressions caused by mismatched shapes of traditional implants (such as titanium mesh), especially for facial skull restoration

 

Advantages of surgery and post-operative recovery

 

Reduced operative time: Prefabricated and customized implants can be directly attached to the defect site, reducing intraoperative shaping time and reducing anesthesia risks

 

Reduce complications: Precise fitting reduces the incidence of complications such as implant displacement and cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and shortens the postoperative recovery period by 30%-50%

 

Materials & Imaging Advantages

 

Imaging compatibility: PEEK does not interfere with imaging examinations such as CT and MRI, which is convenient for observation of intracranial conditions during postoperative follow-up (traditional metal implants are prone to artifacts)

 

Corrosion Resistance and Stability: PEEK is resistant to bodily fluid corrosion and has stable performance after long-term implantation, without the need for secondary surgical replacement

 

Cost and efficiency advantages

 

Mass customized production: 3D printing can realize the exclusive manufacturing of one person and one model, which reduces production costs compared with traditional manual shaping.

 

Supply chain optimization: Digitizing processes shortens the design-to-production cycle (typically 3-7 days) to meet emergency surgical needs.