Accuracy of Surgical Outcome Using Computer-Aided Surgical Simulation in Fronto-Orbital Advancement for Craniosynostosis: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Computer-aided surgical simulation (CASS) can be used to virtually plan ideal outcomes of craniosynostosis surgery. Our purpose was to create a workflow analyzing the accuracy of surgical outcomes relative to virtually planned fronto-orbital advancement (FOA). METHODS: Patients who underwent FOA using CASS between October 1, 2017, and February 28, 2022, at our center and had postoperative computed tomography within 6 months of surgery were included. Virtual 3-dimensional (3D) models were created and coregistered using each patient’s preoperative and postoperative computed tomography data. Three points on each bony segment were used to define the object in 3D space. Each planned bony segment was manipulated to match the actual postoperative outcome. The change in position of the 3D object was measured in translational (X, Y, Z) and rotational (roll, pitch, yaw) aspects to represent differences between planned and actual postoperative positions. The difference in the translational position of several bony landmarks was also recorded. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed to measure significance of these differences from the ideal value of 0, which would indicate no difference between preoperative plan and postoperative outcome. RESULTS: Data for 63 bony segments were analyzed from 8 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Median differences between planned and actual outcomes of the segment groups ranged from ‒0.3 to ‒1.3 mm in the X plane; 1.4 to 5.6 mm in the Y plane; 0.9 to 2.7 mm in the Z plane; ‒1.2° to ‒4.5° in pitch; ‒0.1° to 1.0° in roll; and ‒2.8° to 1.0° in yaw. No significant difference from 0 was found in 21 of 24 segment region/side combinations. Translational differences of bony landmarks ranged from ‒2.7 to 3.6 mm. CONCLUSION: A high degree of accuracy was observed relative to the CASS plan. Virtual analysis of surgical accuracy in FOA using CASS was feasible.