Background:
In rare cases, chronic subdural hematoma can be a complication following cranioplasty implantation. Therefore, it can develop spontaneously or after a trauma in the underlying site of a duroplasty and represent, if compression of the brain structures, a life-threatening condition. In case of a patient with cranioplasty in polyetheretherketone (PEEK), performing a burr hole on prosthesis can represent, although unusual, an effective and safe technique for evacuation of the chronic subdural hematoma, avoiding the need to remove the prosthesis itself. Nevertheless, a rare and insidious prosthesis infection can occur, even after years.
Case description:
A 54-year-old male patient, following severe traumatic brain injury, underwent a right hemispheric decompressive craniectomy associated to acute subdural hematoma evacuation and, subsequently, a PEEK cranioplasty implant with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Gore-Tex) duroplasty. About 10 years later, he experienced worsening headache with sensory alterations; therefore, he underwent a brain computed tomography scan documenting a right hemispheric chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH), expanding in subsequent radiological examinations. Because of symptoms' worsening, he underwent cSDH evacuation through a burr hole centered on the parietal region of the PEEK prosthesis, associated with mini-reopening of duroplasty. Two years after the procedure, he went to the emergency department because of the appearance of a serum-purulent material drained from the surgical site. He underwent cranioplasty removal and then started a targeted therapy to treat a triple surgical site infection, often unpredictable and totally accidental.
Conclusion:
Based on the literature evidence, performing a burr hole on a cranial prosthesis in bone-like material such as PEEK represents a surgical procedure never performed before and in our opinion could, in selected cases, guarantee the cSDH evacuation and the treatment of intracranial hypertension, avoiding the cranioplasty removal, although there is a risk of even late surgical site infection.