Intraoperative Computed Tomography in the Surgical Treatment of Zygomatic Complex Fracture: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of intraoperative computed tomography (ICT) in managing zygomatic complex (ZMC) fractures surgically. A total of 143 patients (84 men, 59 women; average age 37.13y) undergoing surgical treatment for ZMC fractures participated in this retrospective cohort study, with 72 in the ICT group and 71 in the control group. There were no notable differences in gender, age, time from injury to surgery, and surgical duration between the two groups. The ICT group exhibited significantly fewer surgical approaches than the control group (1.39±0.519 vs. 2.07±0.617, P<0.001). Fixation points in the ICT group (1-point: 42, 2-point: 14, 3-point: 16) significantly differed from the control group (1-point: 15, 2-point: 17, 3-point: 39), P<0.001. Symmetry of reduction was assessed through immediate postoperative images, and stability was compared between immediate postoperative images and those taken at least 3 months later. Both assessments revealed no significant differences between the 2 groups. This study indicates that ICT facilitates prompt evaluation of ZMC reduction, minimizing the necessity for incisions and internal fixation, while achieving comparable reduction efficacy and long-term stability to conventional approaches.