---
title: Computer Based Algorithm for Patient Specific Implants for Cranioplasty in Patients With Skull Defects
nct_id: NCT02828306
overall_status: COMPLETED
sponsor: Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
study_type: OBSERVATIONAL
primary_condition: Stroke
countries: Switzerland
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT02828306.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02828306"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2019-09-04
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:40:32.685Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Computer Based Algorithm for Patient Specific Implants for Cranioplasty in Patients With Skull Defects

**Official Title:** Computer Based Algorithm for Patient Specific Implants for Cranioplasty in Patients With Skull Defects: a Prospective Clinical Trial

**NCT ID:** [NCT02828306](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02828306)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** COMPLETED
- **Study Type:** OBSERVATIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 15
- **Lead Sponsor:** Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
- **Conditions:** Stroke, Head Trauma
- **Start Date:** 2016-09
- **Completion Date:** 2019-08
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2019-09-04

## Brief Summary

Patients with skull defects after craniotomy for example tumor resection, head trauma, stroke, need a reimplantation of the bone afterwards. For some circumstances, their own bone cannot be reimplanted due to infection, tumor infiltration, damage to the bone, or aseptic bone necrosis. In these cases a Patient Specific Implant (PSI) needs to be designed to fit into the patient's skull defect.

The design of the PSI is based on the preoperative CT-scan of the patient's head with the skull defect, the imaging data set is uploaded and processed with IPlanNet software by BrainLab®. With the help of the software, a 3D model of a negative mould of the PSI is designed and printed. In the operation room, the PSI is fabricated under sterile conditions using the PSI mould. The design of the PSI mould with the help of IPlanNet is demanding and takes some few hours depending on the complexity of the case to be designed. In certain cases the accuracy of the fabricated PSI mould is not optimal, so that the surgeon intraoperatively has to adapt for the inaccuracy to achieve the best cosmetic and functional results at the expense of the operation duration, a known risk factor for postoperative wound infection and other perioperative complications.

Therefore, the investigators have developed an automated computer-based algorithm for PSI design (CAPSID). With the help of this tool, an accurate PSI and its corresponding mould can be calculated and designed based on the preoperative CT scan of the patient within 5-15 minutes and the corresponding mould can be printed. This step is automated and thus, independent of the neurosurgeons experience and skills in 3D processing software. The mould can be used for intraoperative fabrication of the implant under sterile conditions in the common way as described above. The possible advantages of the clinical establishment of this procedure would be a higher accuracy of the PSI compared to the conventional PSI fabrication method with better cosmetic results, lower costs and faster availability and production leading to shorter waiting time for the patient, and as a consequence of the higher accuracy leading to shorter operation time, with a reduction of risk of operative adverse events for the patient. Furthermore, the proof of practicability of this new method, could lead to new concepts in the field of Computer-based Patient Specific Implants in modern medicine in general.

## Detailed Description

Patients with skull defects after craniotomy for example tumor resection, head trauma, stroke, need a reimplantation of the bone afterwards. For some circumstances, their own bone cannot be reimplanted due to infection, tumor infiltration, damage to the bone, or aseptic bone necrosis. In these cases a Patient Specific Implant (PSI) needs to be designed to fit into the patient's skull defect. Several materials are currently used such as titanium, poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) or poly-methylmethyl-acrylate (PMMA) for PSI fabrication. At the moment, PSI are commercially available from different companies (DePuy Synthes®, EOS®, Xilloc®). Apart from the high costs of commercially available PSI, it takes usually several weeks until the designed and manufactured PSI is delivered to the hospital ready for reimplantation.

On the other hand, a method for software-based PSI design and intraoperative fabrication of the PSI under sterile conditions was described by Stieglitz et al. This method is currently used in everyday clinics in the department of neurosurgery in Bern. In short summary, the design of the PSI is based on the preoperative CT-scan of the patient's head with the skull defect, the imaging data set is uploaded and processed with IPlanNet software by BrainLab®. With the help of the software, a 3D model of a negative mould of the PSI is designed and printed. In the operation room, the PSI is fabricated under sterile conditions using the PSI mould. The design of the PSI mould with the help of IPlanNet is demanding and takes some few hours depending on the complexity of the case to be designed. In certain cases the accuracy of the fabricated PSI mould is not optimal, so that the surgeon intraoperatively has to adapt for the inaccuracy to achieve the best cosmetic and functional results at the expense of the operation duration, a known risk factor for postoperative wound infection and other perioperative complications.

Therefore, the investigators have developed an automated computer-based algorithm for PSI design (CAPSID). With the help of this tool, an accurate PSI and its corresponding mould can be calculated and designed based on the preoperative CT scan of the patient within 5-15 minutes and the corresponding mould can be printed. This step is automated and thus, independent of the neurosurgeons experience and skills in 3D processing software. The mould can be used for intraoperative fabrication of the implant under sterile conditions in the common way as described above. The possible advantages of the clinical establishment of this procedure would be a higher accuracy of the PSI compared to the conventional PSI fabrication method with better cosmetic results, lower costs and faster availability and production leading to shorter waiting time for the patient, and as a consequence of the higher accuracy leading to shorter operation time, with a reduction of risk of operative adverse events for the patient. Furthermore, the proof of practicability of this new method, could lead to new concepts in the field of Computer-based Patient Specific Implants in modern medicine in general. A clinical trial is necessary to proof the advantages and practicability of the investigators' concept of computer-based algorithm for PSI design (CAPSID) for patients with skull defects.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 18 Years
- **Maximum age:** 89 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** No

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with skull defects due to craniotomy who need a Patient Specific Implant (PSI) of the skull
* Age older than 18 and less than 90 years
* Provided written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Contraindications to the class of drugs under study, e.g. known hypersensitivity or allergy to Palacos
* Women who are pregnant or breast feeding
* Intention to become pregnant during the course of the study
* Known coagulopathy
* Severe disease with limited life expectancy of less than one year
```

## Arms

- **Patients with skull defects** — Patients with skull defects after craniotomy for example tumor resection, head trauma, stroke which need a Patient Specific Implant.

## Interventions

- **Patient Specific Implant** (OTHER) — Implantation of Patient Specific Implant

## Primary Outcomes

- **Number of patients where there is no need to adapt the PSI's edges** _(time frame: 6 weeks after surgery by standardised questionnaire)_
- **Number of patients where there is no need to augment/fill clefts between the PSI and patient´s bone** _(time frame: 6 weeks after surgery by standardised questionnaire)_
- **Number of patients where there is no need to discard the PSI and fabricate a new PSI** _(time frame: 6 weeks after surgery by standardised questionnaire)_

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Operation duration** _(time frame: intraoperative)_
- **Patient's satisfaction measured by questionary** _(time frame: 6 weeks)_
- **infection rate** _(time frame: day 1-3 after OP, at 6 weeks)_
- **postoperative haemorrhage** _(time frame: day 1-3 after OP, at 6 weeks)_
- **postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage** _(time frame: day 1-3 after OP, at 6 weeks)_
- **PSI-displacement** _(time frame: day 1-3 after OP, at 6 weeks)_
- **need for reoperation** _(time frame: day 1-3 after OP, at 6 weeks)_
- **Accuracy of the PSI determined by volumetric analysis of the patient´s post-implantation CT scan (dice similarity index)** _(time frame: 3 days after surgery)_
- **Accuracy of the PSI determined by volumetric analysis of the patient´s post-implantation CT scan (volumetric inaccuracy index)** _(time frame: 3 days after surgery)_

## Locations (1)

- Dep. of Neurosurgery, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.dep. of neurosurgery, bern university hospital|bern||switzerland` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

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