CT-guided stereolithography as a new tool in craniofacial surgery

Stereolithography and the Use of Pre-Adapted / Fabricated Plates for Accurate Repair of Maxillofacial Defects

“…The data drives a laser over a bath of photosensitive resin ISSN: 2161-1173 Anaplastology, an open access journal Maxillofacial surgery Anaplastology which produces a series of stacked slices, which produce an accurate three-dimensional resin model [5]. This technique can be used by the maxillofacial surgeon to produce three-dimensional representations of the facial bony structures using data from CT or MRI scans [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In particular, it allows the maxillofacial surgeon to appreciate spatial displacements in all three dimensions and to make accurate measurement of the deformity.…”

“…Successful rehabilitation, following ablative surgery for malignancy is likely to depend on the preoperative fitness score as outlined by the American Joint Cancer Committee (AJCC), [1] and the associated surgical trauma of the resection and reconstruction. Stereolithography, a preoperative technique, accurately measures and contours a reconstruction plate for the placement at the time of the skeletal resection [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. It significantly decreases operating time and increases the surgeon's option to manage complex reconstructions (Table 1).…”

“…Therefore, their use must be critically evaluated with regard to accuracy, informative value, cost and benefits in terms of improved diagnosis and better surgery. Stereolithography as a technique has been mainly used to fabricate a template for custom cranioplasty to cover defects in the skull [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Its application to the field of maxillofacial skeleton to fabricate and/or pre-adapt reconstructive plates has been limited to a few cases reported in the literature [11,12].…”

Rapid prototyping in Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology

“…Currently, 3-dimensional computed reconstruction allows elaboration of realistic and spatially accurate images for diagnosis and surgical planning. The manipulation of these images allows the construction of physical models (biomodels) in maxillofacial surgery, microsurgery, orthopedics, etc (2,4,8,10,14,18,19).…”

“…The first requirement for rapid prototyping is modelling the intended shapes and geometries using the techniques of CAD. For this end, there are several softwares available and the following techniques make it possible to convert a virtual model into a physical model (2)(3)(4)7,8,13,17): a) stereolithography (SLA); b) fused deposition modelling; c) laminated object manufacturing process; d) solid ground curing; e) selective laser sintering.…”