Predicting surgical outcomes in spring assisted cranioplasty via finite element analysis and animal experiments.

ABSTRACT: Sagittal craniosynostosis, a congenital cranial suture disorder, is treated with spring-assisted cranioplasty (SAC), but optimal surgical parameters remain unclear. This study explores computational models to predict surgical outcomes of SAC by linking biomechanics with bone regeneration and cranial remodeling. Fifteen 3-week-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent SAC with nickel-titanium springs (0-100 g forces). Bone regeneration was tracked via fluorescence labeling, while micro-CT scans measured cephalic index (CI), bone mineral density (BMD), and bone volume fraction (BV/TV). Finite element analysis (FEA) simulated stress and strain distributions. Regression models were established to predict the relationship between mechanical indicators and surgical outcomes. The 50 g group achieved

SUBMITTER: Cheng W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12675514 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature