First Patient in Slovakia to Receive a Patient-Specific Titanium Cranial Implant

Challenge

The patient sustained a severe traumatic brain injury accompanied by cerebral edema, intracranial hemorrhage, and subsequent loss of a portion of the skull. Following recovery from the acute phase, a large cranial defect remained involving the frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. The missing section of the skull represented not only an aesthetic concern but also a significant medical risk, as the underlying brain tissue was protected solely by soft tissue coverage. Even minor pressure or trauma to the defect area could have resulted in serious complications.[1][2]

Solution

A patient-specific titanium cranial implant was designed and manufactured based on the individual’s anatomy to reconstruct the extensive skull defect. The implant was produced using titanium additive manufacturing technology and fabricated as a thin-walled shell structure precisely replicating the missing portion of the skull. Its development and production were the result of close collaboration between medical specialists and biomedical engineers.[1][3]

Results

The reconstruction procedure was successfully completed following an operation lasting approximately three hours, without intraoperative or postoperative complications. Within hours of surgery, the patient was mobilized and able to perform basic daily activities. The implant restored the natural contour of the skull, eliminated the risk of direct brain injury in the area of the defect, and significantly improved the patient’s quality of life. According to the treating team, the postoperative result closely replicated the patient’s original cranial anatomy.[1][4]

Significance of Personalized Manufacturing

This case represented one of the first successful applications of a patient-specific titanium cranial implant in Slovakia. It confirmed the potential of combining digital surgical planning, medical imaging, and additive manufacturing for the reconstruction of extensive cranial defects. Furthermore, it highlighted the importance of close collaboration between surgeons and biomedical engineers in the development of implants tailored to the anatomical needs of individual patients.[1][2][3]

Sources:
[1] Prvý pacient v SR s unikátnym implantátom lebky, tlačová správa Univerzitnej nemocnice L. Pasteura Košice, 8. 7. 2013.
[2] Lekári voperovali pacientovi do lebky unikátny slovenský implantát, TERAZ.sk (TASR), 3. 7. 2013.
[3] Unikátna operácia v Košiciach: Milanovi vložili do hlavy polkilový plát titanu!, Topky.sk, 3. 7. 2013.
[4] Milanovi voperovali titánový implantát: V hlave nosím 3 milióny €!, Nový Čas, 4. 7. 2013.