Individual preformed titanium meshes for orbital fractures

Metzger, Marc Christian; Schön, Ralf; Schulze, Dirk; Carvalho, Carlos; Gutwald, Ralf; Schmelzeisen, Rainer

doi:10.1016/j.tripleo.2006.02.031

« Previous Next »Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and Endodontology
Volume 102, Issue 4 , Pages 442-447, October 2006

Individual preformed titanium meshes for orbital fractures

Marc Christian Metzger, MD
- Resident, Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Freiberg, Germany.
- Address for correspondence: Dr. Marc Christian Metzger, Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg i.Br., Hugstetterstr. 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany
Ralf Schön, MD, DMD
- Assistant Professor, Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Freiberg, Germany.
Dirk Schulze, MD, DMD
- Assistant Professor, Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Freiberg, Germany.
Carlos Carvalho
- Student, Freiberg Materials Research Center, Freiberg, Germany.
Ralf Gutwald, MD, DMD
- Assistant Professor, Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Freiberg, Germany.
Rainer Schmelzeisen, MD, DMD
- Chairman and Professor, Department of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Freiberg, Germany.

Received 17 January 2005; received in revised form 14 September 2005; accepted 14 September 2005. published online 03 August 2006.

Objectives

The aim of this investigation was to develop and test the accuracy of a procedure for fabricating individual preformed titanium meshes for orbital fractures.

Study design

Preoperative CT datasets from five patients with orbital fractures were used for 3D reconstruction by mirroring the unaffected side onto the defective one, resulting in a new sub-volume. A template for adaptation of the titanium mesh was produced by applying these sub-volumes. Navigation-aided procedures guaranteed the exact placement of the preformed mesh during the operation.

Results

The accuracy of the reconstructed orbital floor was determined to be approximately 1 mm, which lies within the technical limit of detection.

Conclusion

These results indicate a further application or navigation-aided reconstruction, which will serve as a pilot project for further investigations. Clustered databases of patients will be used to produce various template sets, reflecting ideal skeletons, according to age, sex, and other patient variables. These could be used for manufacturing preformed osteosynthesis templates.

Keywords: Individual preformed mesh , orbital fracture , navigation aided procedure , osteosynthesis template