The aim of this study was to evaluate the direct and late outcome after the polypropylen-polyester Codubix® prosthesis implantation, and to compare the results with patients who underwent the conventional osteoplastic craniotomy. There were analysed 89 patients treated surgically at the Department of Neurosurgery of Jagiellonian University in Cracow within 1995–2004. Thirty nine patients had the Codubix® prosthesis implantated synchronically or after a surgery which caused a cranial defect. Fifty patients underwent osteoplastic craniotomy and had an uneventful clinical course. Directly after the surgery good healing was observed in all patients. In the Codubix® group seven patients (17.8 %) had temporarily elevated temperature, three had haematoma collection in the subgaleal space, one (2.6 %) developed meningitis which was treated successfully with antibiotics, one (2.6 %) suffered from temporary circulation disturbances of the scalp. In the late evaluation 16 patients (53.4 %) found the cosmetic effect as very good, 10 patients (33 %) as good, and 4 (13.3 %) as unsatisfactory in the Codubix® group, comparing to 14 patients (35.9 %) with very good, 21 (53.9 %) with good, and 4 (10.2 %) with unsatisfactory cosmetic effects in the osteoplastic craniotomy group. The commonest reason for critical note was the depression of the plate, which appeared at 3 patients, and the depression of the bone flap in two cases. The others 3 patients complained of inappropriate profile of the plate causing the cranial vault asymmetry. The properly performed implantation of accurate bone prosthesis Codubix® is safe and has usually good cosmetic effects.

        Klíčová slova: cranial defect, cranioplasty, Codubix® prosthesis