The Open Cancer Journal

2012, 5 : 7-10
Published online 2012 November 30. DOI: 10.2174/1874079001205010007
Publisher ID: TOCJ-5-7

Case Report: Destructive Neuroendocrine Cranial Tumour and The Role Of Pre-Fashioned Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Cranioplasty

Joseph Merola , Thirayan Muthu , Zakier Hussain and Duncan Lamont
Neurosurgery Department Waikato hospital Private bag 3200 Hamilton 3240 New Zealand.

ABSTRACT

Medical implant devices have evolved in the past decade and now many surgical specialties have turned to polyetheretherketone (PEEK) devices for its ideal properties. In Neurosurgery, PEEK has its role in many operations such as cervical cages after anterior cervical discectomy and as a prosthetic implant for cranioplasty where autologous cranioplasty is not possible.

We discuss our case of a poorly differentiated destructive tumour that was surgically removed and the skull deformity replaced with a PEEK implant, assisted by state of the art neuro-navigational technology.

Keywords:

Bio-compatible implants, Cranioplasty, Neuro-endocrine tumour.