Perioperative management and prevention of postoperative complications in patients undergoing cranioplasty with polyetheretherketone

Objective This study aimed to compare the incidence of postoperative complications in two groups of patients undergoing cranioplasty with polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials under different perioperative management schemes and summarise and describe a perioperative bundle to reduce patients' postoperative complications and improve patient outcomes. Method The clinical data of 69 patients undergoing craniotomy with PEEK materials in the neurosurgery department of our hospital between June 2017 and June 2021 were analysed retrospectively. The patients receiving conventional treatment were defined as the conventional group (29 cases), and the patients receiving the improved scheme were defined as the improved group (40 cases). The early complications of the two groups were compared, and the long-term effects were observed. Results The early total complication rates of the conventional group and the improved group were 55.2% and 32.5%, respectively, without any significant difference (P = 0.06), and the long-term complication rates were 24.1% and 7.5%, with no significant difference (P = 0.112). The incidence of epidural effusion in the improved group was significantly lower than that in the conventional group, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications, such as intracranial pneumatosis, epidural haemorrhage, new seizures and intracerebral haemorrhage. There was no difference in long-term complications, such as seizure, incision infection and implant exposure. Conclusion Epidural effusion after cranioplasty with PEEK materials is common. This study’s improved perioperative bundle can effectively reduce the occurrence of epidural effusion after skull repair.