Application of three-dimensional printing combined with surgical navigation and endoscopy in orbital fracture reconstruction

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effect of three-dimensional printing combined with surgical navigation and endoscopy for orbital fracture reconstruction. Methods: A case series study. Twenty-eight patients (28 eyes) with orbital fractures (20 males and 8 females, aged 10-61 years, with simple orbital fractures in 22 patients and composite orbital fractures in 6 patients) were treated with three-dimensional printing combined with surgical navigation and endoscopy for orbital fracture reconstruction at Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanchang University from July 2016 to June 2018. With the help of three-dimensional printed models and guides, navigation positioning guidance and endoscopic visualization performance, the soft tissue incarcerated in the orbital fracture area was loosened, and the repair material was implanted (video attached). Postoperative follow-up was conducted at 1 week and 3 months. The follow-up observation included the best corrected visual acuity, diplopia, dyskinesia of the eyes, enophthalmos, and orbital volume. The data were analyzed by the paired t-test, Wilcoxon and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test. Results: The best corrected visual acuity before and 1 week after surgery was 4.714±0.400 and 4.732±0.377, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (t=1.724, P=0.096). The enophthalmos before and 1 week after surgery was 2.2 (2.0-5.0) mm and 0.3 (0.0-2.3) mm, respectively, and the difference was significant (Z=-4.604, P<0.01). The orbital volume before and 1 week after surgery was 2 008.10 (6.84-11 200.00) mm(3) and 478.76 (5.01-7 286.00) mm(3), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (Z=-3.735, P<0.01).The preoperative diplopia degree was 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ in 14, 11, 3, and 0 eyes, while the degree of diplopia 3 months after surgery was 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ in 22, 6, 0, and 0 eyes, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (Z=-2.359, P=0.018). The preoperative dyskinesia degree of the eyes was 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ in 11, 11, 3, and 3 eyes, while the dyskinesia degree of the eyes 3 months after surgery was 0, Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ in 23, 5, 0, and 0 eyes, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (Z=-3.456, P=0.001). No implant infection, displacement, and other serious complications were observed during the follow-up of 3 to 12 months. Conclusions: Three-dimensional printing technology combined with nasal endoscopy and surgical navigation, which is applied in the reconstruction of orbital fracture, can significantly improve the symptoms of diplopia, ocular dyskinesia, and ocular depression. It is a feasible assistant method. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 658-664).