Unprecedented Surgery: Cranial Defect Plastics Performed with Titanium Construction

On June 4, 2021, an 8-year-old girl was transported in extremely critical condition to the Saint Astvatsamayr Medical Center following a car accident, suffering from an open cranial injury, severe brain contusion, contusion hemorrhagic foci, comminuted fractures of the right zygomatic bones, pulmonary contusions, and other accompanying injuries.

The cranial injury was treated surgically, and the child was discharged about 40 days later with a significant cranial defect. After the child's overall condition improved, approximately 8 months after the trauma, a titanium construction with the potential for size enhancement was utilized for the first time in Armenia to close the cranial defect, as reported by Gevorg Derdzyan, spokesperson for the Saint Astvatsamayr Medical Center.

The titanium construction was custom-made based on the pre-surgical CT examination results, considering the size, shape, and expected contours of the skull. The construction is multi-component and allows for centripetal movement according to the directions of further growth in the pediatric skull.

“Thus, the construction will ensure the protection of brain tissue from external injuries, restore the normal contours of the skull, and on the other hand, will not impede the further growth of the skull at the defect site. The titanium construction was manufactured by the Digital Diagnostic Center. It was provided to the child as a donation,” said the hospital spokesperson.