A randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of intraoperative computed tomography on the outcomes of...

A randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of intraoperative computed tomography (CT) on zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures. Participants, aged 16 and older, were recruited from the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and included if they required surgical management for their fractures. The study compared outcomes between operations using intraoperative CT and those that did not, hypothesizing that the CT group would have better reductions and lower revision surgery rates. The primary outcome variable was quality of radiographic reduction. The secondary outcome variables included need for revision surgery. Patients were randomised to either intervention or control. While patients and assessors were blinded, surgeons were not due to the need to assess intraoperative reduction via CT. 133 patients were recruited and analysed, with 72 in the control group and 61 in the intervention group. Results indicated no statistically significant differences in postoperative radiographic outcomes (p = 0.618) or revision surgery rates (p = 0.653). The trial concluded that intraoperative CT did not significantly improve outcomes in ZMC fracture fixation amongst experienced surgeons.