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The Expansile Properties of Kryptonite Relating to Cranioplasty
Sofya Asfaw MD, Eileen Meisler RNFA, Gaby Doumit MD MSc FRCSC
Cleveland Clinic
2012-02-15
Presenter: Sofya Asfaw
Affidavit:
100 percent of the work represents the original work of the resident
Director Name: Gaby Doumit
Author Category: Other Specialty Resident
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: Craniomaxillofacial
How does this presentation meet the established conference educational objectives?
This presentation will educate the participants about the expansile properties of Kryptonite and the resulting major clinical indications
How will your presentation be used by practicing physicians in the audience?
The surgeon will need to take the variable expansile properties of kryptonite into careful consideration when used in cranioplasty reconstruction
Purpose:
Since 2009, a synthetic material known as Kryptonite has become increasingly utilized during cranioplasty to repair bony defects. It provides bone-like strength and adhesive properties that make it a suitable replacement for bone. However, applications have been observed in the immediate post-operative period that demonstrate an increase in its original volume, giving rise to irregularities in the cranial surface
Method: Ten graduated cylinders were filled with 30cc of Normal Saline at room temperature. Kryptonite was reconstituted according to the manufacturer's directions (component A+B+C mixed for 1 minute) and then allowed to polymerize for ten minutes. The putty was molded into a cylindrical shape, immersed in the saline, and covered with cellophane to control for evaporation. Baseline marks of the level of Saline were taken as soon as the Kryptonite was added. Measurements of the rise in Saline relative to baseline were taken at intervals of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty and sixty minutes, and then hourly through five hours, with the final measurement recorded at twenty-four hours.
Results: The mean expansion of Kryptonite was approximately 49% with a standard-deviation of 22%. The bulk of the expansion occurred within the first two hours, after which the rate tended to plateau for the remaining twenty-two hours.
Conclusion: Krytonite has been touted as an excellent alternative for repairing contour abnormalities manifested in cranioplasty. Given the unpredictability of its expansile properties, the surgeon must take this variability into careful consideration when planning the desired surgical outcome.
