PEEK Implant Skull Which Saves Lives

PEEK implant skull is a customized implant for patients with various maxillofacial defects. Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is an organic compound material now being used in 3D printing for manufacturing of complex design geometry and patient-specific implants for Orthopedics. PEEK, as a material, was initially introduced in the 1980s, and now, it is a top-notch organic thermoplastic polymer. It is colorless, and the models developed from PEEK material show suitable quality for various application areas such as medical, automotive, aerospace, and other associated areas.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a synthetic material that was used initially in spine and hip surgery. It has the advantages of being biocompatible, resistant to thermal and ionizing radiation, and resembles cortical bone biomechanically. These favorable characteristics have led to the increasing use of PEEK implants for calvarial defects which remain a significant reconstructive challenge. it is also used in maxillofacial surgeries because of its favorable characteristics. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a synthetic material that has many advantages in cranial-repair surgery, including strength, stiffness, durability, and inertness.  

PEEK implant skull is an implant produced by PEEK material, which is a customizable option for maxillofacial defects.

Orthopedic Implants

An orthopedic implant is a medical device manufactured to replace a missing joint or bone or to support a damaged bone.

There are some various materials used in orthopedic implants like Metals, Polymers, and Ceramics. An ideal implant material for orthopedics should have the following characterstics: being chemically inert, absolutely bicompatible, great strength, high fatigue resistance, etc.

PEEK implant technology 

"Computer-designed, patient-specific PEEK implants for cranioplasties are a viable alternative when autologous bone grafts are unavailable or unsuitable. Such prefabrication reduces operative times through minimal to no intraoperative adjustments". In other words PEEK material is very customisable in terms of accuracy and biocompatiblity. Its prefabrication process is shorter and more accurate due to usage of new technologies. 

To manufacture Orthopedic implants, PEEK is an advanced biomaterial and suits well for catheters devices. Till now, only subtractive manufacturing methods such as computer numerical control machines were used to manufacture customized PEEK implants. However, this technique is time-consuming, expensive, and also waste material. Second, it is also difficult to give exact contours or required shape of the implant. 3D printing technologies readily fulfill these challenges and have various advantages as compared to traditional manufacturing technologies . so PEEK material is a proper material for 3D printings in order to make patient-specific implants. 

PEEK implants skulls accuracy

In the vast majority of cases, precise symmetric reconstruction of maxillofacial defects remains an unsolved problem for craniofacial surgeons. Computer-designed alloplastic implants have contributed considerably to improvement in the accuracy and reliability of facial rehabilitation, rapidly becoming an irreplaceable part of the surgical armamentarium.

Craniosynostosis and aesthetic quality of PEEK implant skull 

Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which the bones in a baby’s skull join together too early. This happens before the baby’s brain is fully formed. As the baby’s brain grows, the skull can become more misshapen.

Custom-designed PEEK implant skulls are a good option for patients with large cranial defects. The rate of complications is comparable to other implants or autologous bone. Given the large size of these defects, the aesthetic results are good.

Large skull defects as a result of craniectomies due to cerebral insults, trauma, or tumors create functional and aesthetic disturbances for the patient. Cranioplasty with implants in these cases are an alternative to autogenous bone transplantation. Hence PEEK implant skulls are a matter of choice for these kinds of skull defects.

PEEK material comparing Titanium 

Both PEEK and Titanium are effective biomaterials used in surgical implants. However PEEK is a newer material of choice as it is around from the 1990s. It has some flexibility advantages over Titanium like having as lightweight as natural bones, being radiolucency (imaging friendly attribute), and its processability. 

Titanium is a great biomaterial with its proven effectiveness. But compared to PEEK material, it has a very heavy weight. This characteristic means more strength than PEEK and Bone material itself. At the same time this feature makes it a negative choice. 

Besides, Titanium is an expensive metal which production is hard, time-consuming and expensive. PEEK material on the other hand is much more flexible, with more accurate processability and some advantages in imaging after surgical process. PEEK radiocucency was one of primary reasons for its adoption as a biomaterial.

Patient Specific PEEK implant skulls

In a research about the advantages of PEEK implants, writers disscussed: We provide a detailed discussion on why PEEK implants are great options for these types of cases due to advanced pre-surgical planning technology, ease of placement, and durability over time.

PMMA, PEEK and titanium alloys are most commonly used materials, in the fabrication of customized patient specific implants.

PEEK was used to reconstruct various craniofacial bone defects including cranioplasty, PEEK has similar strength and elasticity to bone and is easy to modify. It is radiolucent in CT and offers more comfort to patients, with lower thermal conductivity and lighter weight than titanium implants.

PEEK Implant skulls

Health News Center is a provider of custom skull implants with PEEK material. It has some bicompatibility advantages over titanium in surgerical implants. 

PEEK implant skull is now a material of choice in the world of biomaterials accessible. It has some  flexibility, bicompatibility and easy-processability advantages over other biomaterials like Titanium.