Objectives/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to explore whether the production of in-hospital, low-cost surgical cutting guides would be possible and to assess different cutting guide shapes to facilitate the surgery and the application with instruments.
Study design: Cohort study.
Methods: Using free computer-aided design software, surgical cutting guides for the mandible and fibula were designed and used to perform virtual segmental osteotomies and fibula transplants in seven patients.
Results: Fourteen virtual osteotomies were performed using the free software and the proposed workflow. Thirteen guides were then printed to transfer the virtual planning information to the operating room.
Conclusions: Virtual planning and the three-dimensional (3D) printing of guides for mandibular reconstruction is reliable with the aid of an in-hospital 3D laboratory. We also demonstrated that different guides with different shapes could be produced with benefits during surgery.
Level of evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 2020.
Keywords: Computer-aided design; computer-aided manufacturingreconstruction surgerymandibular reconstructionfibula flapthree-dimensional printing.
© 2020 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.