The Value of Intraoperative Computed Tomography in the Treatment of Zygomatic Complex Fractures

Due to the complex anatomical morphology and lack of anatomic markers on the surface of zygomatic complex (ZMC), the treatment results of ZMC fractures are often suboptimal.

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intraoperative computed tomography (ICT) in the treatment of unilateral ZMC fractures, and further study the feasibility of ICT to replace early postoperative Computed Tomography (CT).

The investigators designed a retrospective cohort study. Adult patients who underwent surgery with unilateral ZMC fractures were enrolled.

According to whether intraoperative CT was used, the subjects were divided into the ICT group and the control group (without ICT).

Five distances and 3 angles representing bilateral ZMC symmetry were main outcome variables. The differences of outcome variables were compared between the 2 groups and the indices of ICT group were further compared with their postoperative indices.

Demographics (eg age), etiology (eg traffic injury), dysfunction (eg diplopia), and surgical approach (eg vestibular incision) were collected as covariates while we conducted clinical investigation, examination, and implementation.

The data were analyzed using independent-samples t test, paired-samples t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ² test. P value < .05 was considered statistically significant.

A total of 60 patients (18 to 59 years) were enrolled in this study. All median values of the measurements in the ICT group were smaller than those in the control group, and the differences of horizontal displacement distance (0.56 vs 1.02 mm), anteroposterior displacement distance (1.69 vs 2.34 mm, 0.90 vs 2.35 mm), horizontal angle of bilateral zygomatic arch (2.31 vs 4.19°), and horizontal angle of bilateral zygomatic process (1.77 vs 2.94°) were significantly different between the 2 groups with P value < .05. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference in all indices between the intraoperatively and postoperatively injured sides in the ICT group.

ICT can improve the treatment outcomes of ZMC fractures by evaluating the fracture reduction adequacy during surgery. Moreover, ICT can replace early postoperative CT.