Reconstruction of the Skull Base and Cranium Adjacent to Sinuses with Porous Polyethylene Implant: Preliminary Report

Surgical reconstruction of the skull base and cranium adjacent to open paranasal sinuses with alloplastic materials is: problematic secondary to an increased risk-of implant infection in these locations. The authors report their initial experience with the use of a porous polyethylene implant for closure of defects in these locations in 20: patients, in 14 of these with the implant placed-in direct contact with the mastoid or paranasal amuses: The implant is flexible, which facilitates surgical reconstruction of the cranial base and porous in nature, which enhances soft tissue and bone ingrowth to decrease the risk of infection. The implant is radiolucent on plain roentgenograms and CT, and produces no imaging artifact on MRI. The implant was utilized or a variety of skull base or cranium sinus reconstructive applications with no infectious complications, with a follow-up period ranging from 8 to 50 months. This preliminary experience suggests that the alloplast may be a useful adjunct in skull base reconstruction, and further evaluation of its use in this application is warranted.