Stereolithography: A Recent Tool in Diagnosis, Treatment Planning, and Management of Craniofacial Deformities - Proceedings of All India Seminar on Biomedical Engineering 2012 (AISOBE-2012) - page 4

Fig. 3 Pre-operative frontal
bone defect

Fig. 4 Stereolithographic
model of the patient

Fig. 5 Intraoperative picture
showing fixation of the
acrylic implant

Fig. 6 Intraoperative
correction of defect

becomes possible to adjust prefabricated mini- or microplates in the patient as in
the preoperative planning. The configuration and bending of the plates also acts as
a device for the anatomical reduction of the fragments. However, in case of
comminution

with very small fragments, surgery simulation with complete

reduction on the 3D model is not advisable [ 21 ].
A case was done at our center, where the patient had a frontal bone defect due
to trauma. A stereolithographic model was fabricated which facilitated in the
visualization of defect in 3D, proper assessment of the injury, and aided in the
fabrication of acrylic prosthesis to correct the defect (Figs. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ).