Background: Surgical treatment of comminuted and multiple facial fractures is challenging, as identifying the bone anatomy and restoring the alignment are complicated. To overcome the difficulties, 3D-printed "jigsaw puzzle" has been innovated to improve the surgical outcome. This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of 3D-printed model in facial fracture restoration procedures.
Materials and methods: Patients with traumatic craniomaxillofacial fractures treated at a single institution were enrolled in this study. The exclusion criteria included the presence of mandibular fractures, greenstick fractures, isolated fractures, and revision cases. Fine-cut (1-mm thick) computed tomography images of each patient were assembled into a 3D model for preoperative planning. Major fragments were segmented in virtual surgical planning, printed out with a 3D printer as "jigsaw puzzle" pieces, and assembled with plates and screws as in surgical rehearsals. We further matched our study group with a control group of patients who underwent the corresponding procedures to compare operative time.
Results: Nine patients with craniomaxillofacial fractures were included in the study, including 2 patients with zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures and 7 patients with multiple fractures. No remarkable postoperative complications, such as enophthalmus or optic nerve injury, that require additional or revision surgery were noted. The mean operative time was 391 and 435 minutes in the study and control groups, respectively. The t test results were not statistically significant.
Conclusions: Surgeons can perform comprehensive preoperative planning, simulation, and obtain a real-time reference for facial bone reduction by using the 3D-printed "jigsaw puzzle" in multiple complicated craniomaxillofacial fractures.
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