Putting our heads together: The future of craniopagus twin separation
Matthew E Pontell1, Lauren K Salinero1, Connor S Wagner1
1Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Oral Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Abstract:
Computer-assisted design and computer-assisted modeling (CAD/CAM), virtual surgical planning (VSP) and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) aid our ability to plan and perform complex craniofacial procedures. This study seeks to define the role of the aforementioned techniques in the separation of craniopagus conjoined twins. Six teams were identified who had successfully performed craniopagus twin separation with the use of CAD/CAM, VSP and/or AR/VR. Surgeons involved in separating craniopagus twins have increasingly utilized tools such as CAD/CAM models, VSP and AR/VR to plan and execute successful separation, and these tools are associated with higher success rates than historical controls.
