Computational modelling for personalised treatment of congenital craniofacial abnormalities

CAD4FACE: Computational modelling for personalised treatment of congenital craniofacial abnormalities

Amount in £1,199,017.60 (EUR 1,498,772.00 @ 0.80 exchange Rate) over 5 years

European Commission H2020

Craniosynostosis is a group of congenital craniofacial abnormalities consisting of premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures during infancy. This results in growth restriction causing physical deformation of the cranial and facial skeleton, as well as distortion of the underling brain, with potential detrimental effects on its function: visual loss, sleep apnoea, feeding and breathing difficulties, and neurodevelopment delay.

Conventional management of craniosynostosis involves craniofacial surgery delivered by excision of the prematurely fused sutures, multiple bone cuts and remodelling of the skull deformities, with the goal of improving patient function, while normalising their appearance. Cranial vault remodelling surgical procedures, aided by internal and external devices, have proven functionally and aesthetically effective in correcting skull deformities, but final results remain unpredictable and often suboptimal because of an incomplete understanding of the biomechanical interaction between the device and the skull.

The purpose of the research is to establish the value of computational modelling in craniofacial device development and to introduce this to the clinical environment. By developing a virtual model of the infant skull to simulate device implantation and performance over time, we will design and optimise bespoke craniofacial devices that can be delivered through tailored minimally-invasive procedures. Ultimately, the proposed modelling pathway may lead to a shorter development time for devices, a reduction in the number of animal experiments necessary to enable the first human implantations of new devices to take place, and safer patient application with improved clinical outcomes during the crucial phases of applying novel technology first-in-man.

Collaboration with The Craniofacial Unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.