A pre-operation planning system and biomechanical evaluation of the cranial flap

Neurosurgeons are required to perform craniotomies to remove brain tumors, hemangiomas, cerebral aneurysms, blood clots in the brain, or relieve internal pressure in the brain. After a craniotomy, the cranial flaps removed from the skull must be set back and fixed appropriately. However, due to the different sizes and shapes of cranial flaps and the various fixation methods, in certain clinical cases, the fixed cranial flaps might be loosened or in dented condition after surgery. This study thus developed a cranioplasty surgical-planning platform to integrate medical imaging technology, computer-aided engineering, and a high-performance computing simulation and visualization. This platform provides an efficient approach to evaluate the structural strength of cranial flaps before an operation. Surgeons can execute preoperative biomechanical simulations of cranial flaps under different fixation methods to achieve optimal fixation planning.