Controlled Study in Cranioplasty Reconstruction

Overview

Multicenter, prospective, comparative, observational study with regular follow-up visits. The project's aim is long-term follow-up of patients affected by large and complex craniolacuniae treated, in standard clinical practice, with CustomBone Service™ Cranial (porous bio-mimetic hydroxyapatite custom-made medical device for cranioplasty), autologous bone or polymethilmethacrylate customized prosthesis and to compare the clinical outcome and safety among the three treatments. Elegibility to each treatment will respect the standard clinical practice. Each investigator will respect his own hospital criteria for cranial reconstruction. Each centre's agreement to participate the study is totally voluntary. The study sample size has not been defined on statistical criteria: the study population was set at 100 consecutive patients treated with cranioplasty reconstruction with one of the three foreseen group. Each investigator will not be allowed to enrol more then 20 patients to avoid an enrolment imbalance between centres involved. Primary study end-points are: evaluation of adverse event incidence after surgical treatment. Secondary end-points are: quality of life improvement, evaluation of bone continuity restoration evaluated by CT scan analysis, neurological improvement.

Cranioplasty surgery is necessary everytime a craniolacuniae has to be reconstructed to ensure protection to the central nervous system. Cranioplasty surgery is classified into first line surgery, due to traumatic events or degenerative pathologies, and second line treatment, when due to first treatment failure, for example because of autologous bone reabsorption/infection or other material reject. Clinical evaluation scores Specific and validated clinical scores will be employed for End-points evaluation. CT scan will required in the pre-operation visit and in the post-operation time during the follow up visits to evaluate the bone-implant osteointegration process and osteointegration will be evaluated applying a specific score. Data have been recorded in a e-CRF with limited access, protected by personal password. Data will always be collected in an anonymous way, subjects identity will always be undisclosed. Each patient will be asked to give informed consent to partecipate the study.