Virtual Reality Planning in Reconstructive Surgery for Orbital Prosthetic Rehabilitation Using ImmersiveTouch...

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Surgical Planning
• Virtual Reality Applications

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging tool for surgical planning and 3D visualization.
• Digital surgical planning is standard for maxillofacial prosthetics, but lacks a dedicated platform.
• VR offers improved control and reduces reliance on other segmentation software.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop the first virtual reality planning (VRP) platform and workflow for maxillofacial prosthetics.
• To provide clinicians with enhanced control over presurgical planning.
• To enable direct translation of virtual plans to patient care via 3D printed guides.

Main Methods:

• Applied a novel VRP workflow to two patients with complex maxillofacial defects.
• Utilized cone-beam CT data imported into a specialized VR environment for implant selection and placement.
• Validated VRP accuracy by comparing postoperative CT data with the virtual plan using Mimics software.

Main Results:

• Virtual reality planning averaged 10 minutes for implant placement.
• 3D printed surgical guides took approximately 2 hours to print using biocompatible resin.
• The VRP workflow demonstrated high accuracy with an average displacement of 0.6 mm (SD 0.3 mm).

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality planning (VRP) is an effective tool for training in complex surgical procedures.
• The VRP platform shows promising applicability and efficiency in facial rehabilitation.
• VRP enhances patient engagement, education, and reduces surgical costs.