Autograft and implant cranioplasty in pediatric patients

The use of implants in pediatric cranioplasty is still debatable. Many surgeons prefer to use autologous bone grafts than implants due to previous concerns that implants have a higher risk of infection, allergic response, and are not biocompatible as an autologous bone graft. However, recent studies showed that several implant materials have a similar infection rate following cranioplasty or might be lower compared to autologous bone. Moreover, several studies also reported a high rate of bone flap resorption in autograft cranioplasty, particularly in patients below the age of 8 years, thus requiring revision surgery with an implant as a substitute in most cases. Implant materials also have advantages in several conditions that make them more suitable than autologous bone grafts. This literature review is expected to give information about the type of implant materials that can be used as an alternative to substitute autologous bone grafts in certain conditions.