Cranioplasty is not a medical substance, but a surgical procedure that repairs defects in the skull. It can be performed for both cosmetic and functional reasons.
Here are some of the reasons why a cranioplasty might be performed:
- To repair a skull fracture caused by an accident or injury
- To close a hole in the skull that is present at birth (a congenital defect)
- To remove a tumor
- To relieve pressure on the brain
- To improve cosmetic appearance
There are a number of different materials that can be used to repair the skull during a cranioplasty, including:
- The patient's own bone (autograft)
- Bone from a donor (allograft)
- Synthetic materials, such as metal plates or mesh, or polymers