Electromagnetic Navigation in Craniofacial Surgery Based on Automatic Registration of Dental Splints

Area of Science:

• Medical Engineering
• Surgical Navigation
• Craniofacial Surgery

Background:

• Optical navigation is limited in craniofacial surgery due to light obstruction.
• Electromagnetic navigation offers an alternative for intraoperative guidance.
• Traditional electromagnetic navigation relies on manual registration, introducing potential inaccuracies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an automated registration software for electromagnetic navigation in craniofacial surgery.
• To compare the accuracy and speed of the automated method against traditional manual registration.
• To assess the suitability of the automated method for clinical environments.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel registration software for intraoperative use.
• Implementation of automatic registration using patient-specific dental molds and imaging data.
• Comparison of automated registration with manual marker point selection.

Main Results:

• The automated registration software demonstrated higher accuracy compared to manual registration.
• The automated method significantly reduced registration time.
• The software proved suitable for real-time application in clinical settings.

Conclusions:

• Automated registration software enhances the precision and efficiency of electromagnetic navigation in craniofacial surgery.
• This technology offers a more reliable and faster alternative to manual registration for intraoperative guidance.
• The developed system is well-suited for integration into current clinical workflows.