From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other sources that we believe are relevant to our audience. We wanted to bring attention to the article from the Winter 2021 issue of Congress Quarterly, titled “Cost Effectiveness in Cranioplasty: Investigational 3D-Printed Method for Patient-Specific Cranial Implant.” Daniel Solomon; Jonathan A. Forbes, MD, FAANS; Joseph S. Cheng, MD, MS, FAANS; and Alice Xu from the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine examine methods to reduce the cost of patient-specific cranial implant (PSCI) by approximately 70% via 3D printing and investigational technology.
Figure 1: (A) and (B) cadaveric specimen following right decompressive craniectomy. (C) Same specimen pictured following cranioplasty with patient-specific cranial implant. PSCI printed/constructed using investigational freeware.
Finding novel ways to reduce surgical expenditures reduces the financial burden on hospitals and patients without compromising quality of care. Strategies such as this are increasingly important as the U.S. continues to push towards value-centric health care.
To read the complete article, click here.
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