Using virtual reality techniques in maxillofacial surgery planning

Abstract

The primary goal of our research has been to implement an entirely computer-based maxillofacial surgery planning system [1]. An important step toward this goal is to make virtual tools available to the surgeon in order to carry out a three-dimensional (3D) cephalometrical analysis and to interactively define bone segments from skull and jaw bones. An easy-to-handle user interface employs visual and force-feedback devices to define subvolumes of a patient's volume dataset [2]. The defined subvolumes, together with their spatial arrangements based on the cephalometrical results, eventually lead to an operation plan. We have evaluated modern low-cost, force-feedback devices with regard to their ability to emulate the surgeon's working procedure. Once the planning of the procedure is complete, the planning results are transferred to the operating room. In our intra-operative concept the visualisation of planning data is speech controlled by the surgeon and correlated with the patient's position by an electromagnetic 3D sensor system.