Computer-aided planning for zygomatic bone reconstruction in maxillofacial traumatology

TL;DR

This paper introduces a computer-aided planning method for zygomatic bone reconstruction in maxillofacial trauma, aiming to improve surgical accuracy and facial symmetry.

Contribution

It presents a novel planning protocol tested on healthy subjects, with future development of intra-operative guidance tools for surgeons.

Findings

Successful testing on healthy subjects

Ensures facial symmetry post-reconstruction

Lays groundwork for intra-operative surgical guidance

Abstract

An optimal planning procedure has been proposed to define the target position of the zygomatic bone following a fracture of the mid-face skeleton. The protocol has been successfully tested on healthy subjects, and ensures the global symmetry of the face could be obtained after the reconstruction surgery. Now that the planning procedure is available, the next step of this project will be to develop an intra-operative guiding system to help the surgeon to follow the planning. This procedure will mainly rely on the intra-operative registration of the zygomatic bone fragment, and the design of specific surgical ancillaries for cranio-maxillofacial surgery.