Biocompatible materials for orbital wall reconstruction - an overview

The reconstruction of an orbit after complex craniofacial fractures can be extremely demanding. For satisfactory functional and aesthetic results, it is necessary to restore the orbital walls and the craniofacial skeleton using various types of materials. The reconstruction materials can be divided into autografts (bone or cartilage tissue) or allografts (metals, ceramics, or plastic materials, and combinations of these materials). Over time, different types of materials have been used, considering characteristics such as their stability, biocompatibility, cost, safety, and intraoperative flexibility. Although the ideal material for orbital reconstruction could not be unanimously identified, much progress has been achieved in recent years. In this article, we summarise the advantages and disadvantages of each category of reconstruction materials. We also provide an update on improvements in material properties through various modern processing techniques. Good results in reconstructive surgery of the orbit require both material and technological innovations.Nanyang Technological UniversityNational Medical Research Council (NMRC)National Research Foundation (NRF)Published versionThe study is funded by National Medical Research Council (grants CG/C010A/2017, OFIRG/0048/2017, OFLCG/004a/2018, and TA/MOH-000249-00/2018), the National Research Foundation Singapore, A*STAR (A20H4b0141), the Singapore Eye Research Institute & Nanyang Technological University (SERI-NTU Advanced Ocular Engineering (STANCE) Program), the DukeNUS Medical School (Duke-NUS-KP(Coll)/2018/0009A) and the SERI-Lee Foundation (LF1019-1)