Evolution of Virtual Surgical Planning Use Among Craniofacial Surgeons

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Maxillofacial Surgery
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Virtual surgical planning (VSP) offers benefits in craniofacial surgery, with growing adoption.
• Limited data exists on the overall use of VSP among craniofacial surgeons and its integration into surgical training.
• Understanding VSP utilization and training exposure is crucial for advancing craniofacial surgical practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the current landscape of VSP use among practicing craniofacial surgeons.
• To assess the extent of exposure to VSP during plastic surgery residency and fellowship training.
• To identify specific procedures where VSP is most commonly applied and its perceived benefits.

Main Methods:

• An electronic survey was administered to members of The American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS) in Fall 2023.
• Data collected included surgeon demographics, VSP usage in practice and training, procedures, and perceived impact.
• Descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and t-tests were used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Of 44 respondents, 90.9% completed fellowship; 40.9% used VSP during residency/fellowship.
• Current VSP use is highest for orthognathic surgery (91.4%), postablative reconstruction (82.1%), and facial feminization (73.3%).
• Surgeons practicing <10 years were significantly more likely to have used VSP in training than those practicing >10 years.

Conclusions:

• Craniofacial surgeons utilize VSP most frequently for specific reconstructive and aesthetic procedures.
• Integration of VSP into residency and fellowship training has markedly increased, especially within the last decade.
• Findings highlight a growing trend and increasing importance of VSP in contemporary craniofacial surgery education and practice.