Navigation-Assisted Bone Grafting for Blowout Fracture

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Orbital floor fractures with large defects necessitate bone grafting for reconstruction.
• Graft displacement into the maxillary sinus is a risk without adequate support.
• Accurate graft fixation, particularly angle determination, is challenging and operator-dependent.

Observation:

• A navigation system was utilized in four patients undergoing orbital blowout fracture repair.
• The system allowed for intraoperative evaluation of bone graft placement angle and orbital floor form.
• Graft angle was assessed by comparing with the unaffected side, and lateral symmetry was confirmed.

Findings:

• The navigation system enabled accurate intraoperative confirmation of the bone graft placement angle.
• Lateral symmetry of the orbital form was successfully evaluated during surgery.
• Postoperative CT scans confirmed favorable placement and retention of the grafted bone.

Implications:

• Navigation systems can enhance safety during dissection around orbital floor defects.
• These systems improve the confirmation of fragment-tissue relationships and graft fixation.
• Intraoperative evaluation of orbital floor form symmetry is facilitated, potentially improving surgical results.