A CT-based 3D planning system for pelvic and acetabular fracture reduction

摘要

Objectives: To provide surgeons with a CT-based software tool improving overall 3D perception and understanding of pelvic and acetabular fractures, as well as enabling of planning the restoration of damaged anatomy by active and intuitive fragment repositioning. Background: Pelvic and acetabular fracture reduction requires very high accuracy in implementation since the pelvic bone plays three essential roles in the human body. It is strongly involved in locomotive functions, it acts as a sink supporting the weight of the upper body, and it protects vital organs [2]. The biomechanical stability of this spine-pelvis-femurs complex (similar to a suspension bridge) is ensured by the inherent annular geometry of the pelvis as well as by the muscle and ligament distribution around and within it [3, 4]. Traditional planning based on X-rays or CTs does not always provide enough information to establish a non-ambiguous diagnosis and design a realistic reduction strategy [1]. The chances of optimal rehabilitation of the locomotive, weight-bearing and protective functions of the pelvis necessarily increase when operating the patient based on the information gathered from a planning procedure which enables precise understanding of the fracture pattern and accurate simulation of fragment repositioning.