Virtual surgical planning for extensive fibrous dysplasia in the mandible

The reconstruction of extensive mandibular defects is a challenge for which virtual surgical planning is extremely helpful. This report describes the case of a 33-year-old woman who experienced the gradual development of a severe mandibular deformity with elongation of the chin and mandibular border because of fibrous dysplasia. Consequently, 19 cm of the mandible extending from the neck of the condyle to the contralateral body was resected together with vestibular and lingual deformities. This bone was replaced with a fibula-free flap. For planning, a virtual resection was performed via a Web conference, followed by virtual reconstruction by superimposition of the fibula on the mandibular defect after the creation of three osteotomies. A stereolithographic model of the reconstructed mandible and cutting guides for the mandibular resection and fibula osteotomies were made. The stereolithographic model of the neo-mandible allowed prebending of a reconstruction plate before the surgery because the deformity did not allow this to be performed intraoperatively. The cutting guides shortened the operating time and enabled accurate reproduction of the virtual plan with exact bone-to-bone contact in the reconstructed mandible. Surgical virtual planning, despite its upfront cost, is a time-saving procedure, which is especially important in complex reconstruction cases, and eliminates the variability of surgical expertise for flap in-setting.