3D osteotomy planning in cranio-maxillofacial surgery: experiences and results of surgery planning and volumetric finite-element soft tissue prediction in three clinical cases

摘要

In this paper we present the current status of our work on the development of an integrated 3D osteotomy planning system for cranio-maxillofacial surgery. Besides the demonstration of recent finite-element simulations for soft tissue prediction, as a result of an osteotomy planning, we introduce a novel technique for an improved planning of the osteotomy itself. In contrast to common approaches that concentrate on bone rearrangements only, neglecting the actual planning of bone cuts, a free-hand osteotomy planning method for arbitrarily shaped cuts is presented. Thus, sagittal split osteotomies of the mandible according to Obwegeser-Dal Pont can be planned correctly under consideration of vulnerable structures, as for instance the mandibular nerve