Complications After Patient-specific Implants for Facial Contouring and Augmentation: A Systematic Review…

Meta-analysisPlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open· Jul 2026

Complications After Patient-specific Implants for Facial Contouring and Augmentation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Rasmus Kofod Steengaard, Mathias Ørholt, Mikkel Herly … Thomas Kofod

Aesthetic & Cosmetic SurgeryMeta-analysisClinical practiceQ1IF 1.8

Patient-specific polyetheretherketone facial implants had a 6.94% pooled complication rate

Complications After Patient-specific Implants for Facial Contouring and Augmentation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Rasmus Kofod Steengaard … Thomas Kofod

Plastic and reconstructive surgery · Jul 2026 · Q1 in Surgery

Background

Patient-specific implants (patient-specific implants) made from titanium (Ti) or polyetheretherketone (polyetheretherketone) are increasingly used for craniofacial contouring and reconstruction.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for clinical studies of Ti and polyetheretherketone patient-specific implants used for facial reconstruction/augmentation.

n = 392 patients

Results

roughly 1 in 15 polyetheretherketone implants had a complication, a low rate

PEEK

6.94%

Ti

4.77%

More results

Twenty-nine studies comprising 392 patients and 543 implants (447 polyetheretherketone; 96 Ti) met the inclusion criteria.

Infection occurred in 1.51% versus 0.33%, implant removal in 0.73% versus 0.00%, and healing-related issues in 2.61% versus 2.54% (polyetheretherketone versus Ti).

More results

Under random-effects, between-material subgroup tests were nonsignificant for overall complications ( P = 0.58), infection ( P = 0.35), explantation ( P = 0.24), and healing-related issues ( P = 0.88).

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

Ti and polyetheretherketone patient-specific implants demonstrate low complication rates with no clear material superiority once between-study variability is considered.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Material selection should be individualized to the anatomical site, imaging needs, and revision plans. Prospective, standardized, head-to-head studies with longer follow-up are needed.

Complications After Patient-specific Implants for Facial Contouring and Augmentation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Complications After Patient-specific Implants for Facial Contouring and Augmentation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

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