Maastricht University Medical Centre Advances Cranial Implant Technology with PEEK-OPTIMA®

Mastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+) has developed a novel cranio-maxillofacial implant technology that uses an advanced polymer biomaterial, PEEK-OPTIMA, from Invibio Biomaterial Solutions, to extend benefits to patients with severe malformation and defects of the skull and facial region. Patient-specific cranial implants are most commonly used to treat skull defects resulting from trauma, tumors and aneurysms.

The PEEK-OPTIMA derived Patient Specific Implant (PSI) technology extends the range of patient/surgeon benefits beyond those of medical-grade titanium, the traditional biomaterial used for cranio-maxillofacial PSIs. The MUMC+ process uses CAD software to design the PSI to the individual cranio-maxillofacial contours of the patient. The customized implants are produced on-site, using a high speed milling fabrication process.

According to Maikel Beerens, who initially designed and now markets IDEEs (Instrument Development Engineering and Evaluation) patient specific implants, PEEK-OPTIMAs material characteristics and performance properties provide valuable surgeon/patient benefits that include:

• Ideal biological properties very comparable to bone;
• No stress shielding;
• No conductibility of temperature;
• Separation of PEEK from surrounding bone, which ensures the initial position of the implant
• Proven biocompatibility and biostability,
• Natural radiolucency and compatibility with medical imaging to monitor site healing

The patients own removed bone segments are always the first choice for implantation. However, unfortunately only a few of those re-implantations succeed, leaving the patient with a defect. To reconstruct this defect in the best way possible the surgeon uses a patient specific implant.

Although the use of PEEK is relatively new in the case of cranial implants, Invibios PEEK-OPTIMA is proven with over 10 years of history in a wide variety of different regulatory approved devices. Their verified biocompatibility and biostability is crucial for surgeons when choosing materials, commented Peter Kessler (chair professor, Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, MUMC+).

The novel cranio-maxillofacial implant technology was co-developed by Maastricht University Medical Centres engineering department IDEE, the Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery and Maastricht Instruments.