In Situ Cranioplasty for Hyperostosing Meningiomas of the Cranial Vault

Objective: Hyperostosis of the bone overlying meningiomas has been reported in up to 50% of cases. The skull becomes infiltrated by meningothelial tumor cells, necessitating removal of the hypertrophied bone to achieve a complete tumor resection. Unfortunately, aesthetic reconstruction of large bony defects can pose a significant challenge intra-operatively. Custom cranioplasty implants are very expensive and can only be fabricated after the bony defect exists, requiring a second surgery for implantation. Although numerous composite materials exist to repair the defects at the time of tumor resection, the challenge is to create an implant that fits appropriately without shifting and approximates the natural curvature of the skull. We have developed a technique for an "in situ cranioplasty" using a composite construct with strength in compression and tension.

Technique: After the skull is reshaped by shaving down part of the hyperostotic bone, titanium mesh is molded to the surface of the skull and screwed into the surrounding normal bone. The bone flap is then removed by drilling a trough at the outer margin of the tumor-involved skull and removing a ring of normal surrounding bone. The central portion of tumor involved skull is then craniectomized. The mesh can be reapplied and the full thickness of the central bone can be reconstructed with polymethylmethacrylate, yielding a solid construct perfectly matched to the patient's natural head shape.

Conclusion: This novel technique yields a sturdy, aesthetic, and cost-effective result which can be used to address any cranial vault defect at the time of tumor resection.