Self-Made Rapid Prototyping Technique for Orbital Floor Reconstruction: Showcases for Technical Description

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Device Technology
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Orbital floor defects pose reconstruction challenges due to complex anatomy.
• Current methods for orbital reconstruction require precise customization of implants.
• Novel approaches are needed to improve efficiency and accuracy in orbital floor repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel "in-house" rapid prototyping protocol for patient-specific orbital floor implants.
• To showcase a digital workflow for customizing titanium meshes for orbital reconstruction.
• To evaluate the technical feasibility of a 3D-printed press system for orbital floor repair.

Main Methods:

• A Computer-aided-design and Computer-aided-manufacturing (CAD/CAM) digital workflow was employed.
• A 3D-printed press, guided by a virtual mold, was used to shape patient-specific titanium meshes.
• The system was applied in four cases of orbital floor reconstruction.

Main Results:

• Analysis revealed a mean discrepancy of 0.71 ± 0.23 mm between planned and in vivo reconstructions.
• The merging procedure analysis confirmed high accuracy in the superimposition of the custom implant.
• The digital workflow demonstrated successful customization of titanium mesh for orbital floor reconstruction.

Conclusions:

• The presented technique offers a promising approach for patient-specific orbital floor reconstruction.
• This method is expected to reduce operative time and associated costs.
• Further studies with larger patient cohorts are needed to establish its widespread applicability in surgical practice.