Value Proposition
· Real-Time Operation Adjustments: The system provides live 3D positioning updates of the donor and recipient anatomies, allowing for instant feedback for surgeons.
· Mastication Simulation: The technology spontaneously identifies ideal positioning of the donor face to allow for optimal recipient mastication post-op.
· Mid-Surgery Alteration: Any human errors and/or uncovered discrepancies between facial structures can be quickly considered. The system can create a new mastication-optimized procedure in seconds.
· Reduction in Operating Time: Prevents surgeon fatigue and minimizes complications.
· Increased Precision: Trackable guides increase precision of cuts to submillimeter levels.
Unmet Need
· Individuals with genetic deformities or traumatic facial injuries have a drastically decreased quality of life. They are often unable to breathe, chew, talk, or swallow normally.
· Maxillofacial procedures can take 12-36 hours and have potential for serious complications.
· The current standard of care involves generation of pre-operation models of donor and recipient facial structure. Currently, there is no method for modeling mastication at any point throughout the planning or execution of the operation. Moreover, doctors must rely on the “eye test” throughout the surgery for placement of the donor face.
· Therefore, there is a strong need to develop technology that provides objective feedback related to functionality and positioning of the donor face on the recipient. This is especially relevant mid-surgery when discrepancies arise.
Technology Description
· Novel surgical tool, allowing for real time surgeon feedback during maxillofacial operations.
· The technology streamlines operations, providing surgeons with a roadmap to follow during complicated surgeries.
· This is a first-in-class method that combines live tracking with modeling of mastication to ensure a high operation success rate, regardless of circumstance.
Stage of Development
· The technology has been applied to live pigs and to human cadaver models.
· It is ready to be performed on live humans.
Data Availability
· Data available upon request.
Publication
Gordon, C. R., Murphy, R. J., Coon, D., Basafa, E., Otake, Y., Al Rakan, M., Rada, E., Susarla, S.,
Swanson, E., Fishman, E., Santiago, G., Brandacher, G., Liacouras, P., Grant, G., & Armand, M. (2014). Preliminary development of a workstation for craniomaxillofacial surgical procedures: introducing a computer-assisted planning and execution system. The Journal of craniofacial surgery, 25(1), 273–283. https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000000497
