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Volume 18 , Issue 5
September/October 2003
Pages 712–718

Robot-Assisted Placement of Craniofacial Implants

Martin Klein, MD, DMD/Andreas Hein, PhD/Tim Lueth, PhD/Jürgen Bier, MD, DMD

PMID: 14579960

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to improve and accelerate the rehabilitation process for patients with severe ear microtia with an implant-anchored auricular prosthesis. A medically approved robot system was used to place the craniofacial implants and a new process was developed for preoperative fabrication of the prosthesis using a rapid prototyping technique. Materials and Methods: Preoperatively, after computerized tomography, the implant positions were determined in a planning tool according to bone availability and esthetic considerations. Intraoperatively, the robot showed the surgeon the planned implant positions and guided the placement procedure. Results: The accuracy measurements showed that with this robot system, absolute implant position accuracy of approximately –0.5 ± 0.4 mm, a relative accuracy between the implants of approximately 0.2 ± 0.5 mm, and a deviation from the parallel position of approximately 0.6 ± 0.5 degrees were achieved. Thirty implants were placed in 13 patients with robot assistance with no intraoperative injuries. Discussion: This technique made it possible to apply the preoperatively fabricated auricular prosthesis directly after surgery. Conclusion: From this experience it can be concluded that the robot system and the new manufacturing concept for anaplastology can be applied advantageously in other areas of the head as well. INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC IMPLANTS 2003;18:712–718

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