Applications of the Poly(methyl methacrilate) (PMMA) in Cranioplasty

Abstract

Cranioplasty is a surgical procedure that is used to correct any defect in skull bones after a previous decompresive craniectomy, usually made for traumatic brain injuries, with ischemic or hemorragic nature, or after a tumor removal. A composite for modeling on a defect in skull bones was prepared by crosslinking poly(methyl methacrylate) in the presence of barium sulfate. The crosslinking rate of methyl polymethacrylate in the presence of the benzoyl peroxide initiator, the N, N-dimethyl-β-toluidine polymerization accelerator and the hydroquinone polymerization inhibitor allows modeling according to the location and size of the defect. Thus, the concentration of composite precursor components was optimal for this purpose. The TGA diagram shows the almost total consumption of methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate monomers in the crosslinking process of methyl polymethacrylate with the formation of the composite. This technical study demonstrate the efficacy of this treatment, as well as to show all the possible scenarios in such procedures.