A Systematic Approach for Making 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Implants for Craniomaxillofacial Reconstruction

Craniomaxillofacial reconstruction implants,which are extensively used in head and neck surgery,are conventionally made in standardized forms.During surgery,the implant must be bended manually to match the anatomy of the individual bones.The bending process is time-consuming,especially for inexperienced surgeons.Moreover,repetitive bending may induce undesirable internal stress concentration,resulting in fatigue under masticatory loading in v iv o and causing various complications such as implant fracture,screw loosening,and bone resorption.There have been reports on the use of patient-specific 3D-printed implants for craniomaxillofacial reconstruction,although few reports have considered implant quality.In this paper,we present a systematic approach for making 3D-printed patientspecific surgical implants for craniomaxillofacial reconstruction.The approach consists of three parts:First,an easy-to-use design module is developed using Solidworks®software,which helps surgeons to design the implants and the axillary fixtures for surgery.Design engineers can then carry out the detailed design and use finite-element modeling(FEM)to optimize the design.Second,the fabrication process is carried out in three steps:0 testing the quality of the powder;(2)setting up the appropriate process parameters and running the 3D printing process;and (3)conducting post-processing treatments(i.e.,heat and surface treatments)to ensure the quality and performance of the implant.Third,the operation begins after the final checking of the implant and sterilization.After the surgery,postoperative rehabilitation follow-up can be carried out using our patient tracking software.Following this systematic approach,we have successfully conducted a total of 41 surgical cases.3D-printed patient-specific implants have a number of advantages;in particular,their use reduces surgery time and shortens patient recovery time.Moreover,the presented approach helps to ensure implant quality.

One-Stage Repair and Reconstruction of Craniomaxillofacial Bone Defects

Objective: Severe craniomaxillofacial injuries and craniomaxillofacial tumors can lead to craniomaxillofacial bone defects and deformities. Seriously affect the patients’ appearance and quality of life. So one-stage repair and reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial bone defects is of great significance. The current study summarizes the clinical experience of one-stage repair and reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial bone defects. Material and Methods: Data in one-stage repair and reconstruction of?craniomaxillofacial bone defects performed on 13 patients were retrospectively analyzed out of 34 patients with?craniomaxillofacial injuries or tumors who received treatment at the outpatient department between January 2002 and March 2011. Surgical indications and approaches were explored after two typical cases were detected. Results: One-stage repair and reconstruction of bone defects was suitable for patients with craniomaxillofacial injuries and excised craniomaxillofacial benign tumors. Adjacent autogenous bones and artificial materials (such as titanium plates, titanium mesh, and so on) work well for the repair of the craniomaxillofacial bone frame and restoration of facial features. Conclusions: Surgical indications should be strictly selected in one-stage repair and reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial bone defects and deformities. Furthermore, the adoption of autogenous bones and artificial materials is a good choice in restoring the craniofacial features.

Successful treatment of congenital palate perforation: A case report

BACKGROUND Congenital palate perforation is extremely rare. There is controversy about its exact etiology and appropriate management. Here, a case of congenital palatal perforation is reported. The diagnosis and treatment of the disease are summarized.CASE SUMMARY A full-term neonate boy was referred for oral and craniomaxillofacial surgery with a finding of a hole in the palate at birth. The operation was postponed after pediatric consultation because of the patient’s poor nutrition and underweight for his age. At the age of 10 mo, the patient underwent modified von Langenbeck palatoplasty. He was followed for four years after surgery without any signs of re-rupture. His speech was satisfactory.CONCLUSION Considering the anatomy and etiology, congenital palate perforation can be classified as isolated or associated with submucous cleft palate, and the treatment procedure should be altered accordingly.