Integrated porous polyetheretherketone implants for treating skull defect
Mingguang Zhang, Mei‐li Qi, Kunshan Yuan, Hanjie Liu, Jinping Ren, Aihua Liu, Shengkun Yao, Xiangrui Guo, Xiushan Li, Haijun Zhang
Abstract
Skull defect is a common clinical disease, and the corresponding treatment is still a grand challenge. No artificial product can perfectly integrate with human skull and match the skull defect during growth. Herein, we report a porous polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant with the microstructures almost identical to natural bones for repairing skull defect. Compared to non-porous PEEK controls, the porous PEEK implants efficiently promote cell adhesion, regenerate skull tissues, and finally achieve perfect healing with surrounding tissues within 6 months. This work suggests the important potential of integrated porous PEEK implants for treating skull defect in clinic, especially for children with rapidly growing skulls.