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Updated: May 8, 2026

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Designing CAD/CAM Surgical Guides for Maxillary Reconstruction Using an In-house Approach
Published on: August 24, 2018
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Interactive pipeline for mandible reconstruction surgery planning using fibula free flap
Sylvain Leclerc1, Bianca Jansen Van Rensburg2, Thibault De Villèle2
1LIRMM, Université Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France. sylvain.leclerc@achline.fr.
Summary
This study introduces an interactive surgical planning tool for mandible reconstruction using fibula free flaps. The system significantly reduces preoperative planning time from days to minutes, improving efficiency for complex cases.
Area of Science:
- Medical Engineering
- Surgical Planning
- 3D Modeling
Background:
- Mandible reconstruction with fibula free flaps is complex, time-consuming, and requires specialized surgical expertise.
- Current manual planning methods are tedious and can lead to unacceptable delays, especially in cancer cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an interactive, time-efficient surgical planning tool for mandible reconstruction.
- To enable surgeons to directly participate in and expedite the planning process.
Main Methods:
- A pipeline using CT scans to register cutting structures to the mandible and segment the fibula.
- Interactive 3D environment for surgeons to non-destructively shape the mandible.
- Generation of surgical plans and robotic cutting guide positions.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated efficiency through patient-specific planning for two pathological cases.
- Achieved comparable results to commercial solutions, excluding cutting guide design.
Conclusions:
- The proposed pipeline enables precise, patient-specific preoperative planning for mandible reconstruction.
- Significantly reduces the preoperative planning phase from days to minutes.

