Dr. Thomas Imahiyerobo, who co-directs the Craniosynostosis Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine with Dr. Caitlin Hoffman, recently recorded an episode of the PRS Global Open Keynotes podcast, in which he discusses the value of virtual surgical planning (VSP) in many types of surgery for craniosynostosis.
This episode is focused on the academic paper Dr. Imahiyerobo and Dr. Hoffman recently co-authored for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, "The Role of Virtual Surgical Planning in Surgery for Complex Craniosynostosis." Other authors on the paper include Alyssa Valenti, MD, Sergio Guadix, MD, Myles LaValley, Paul Asadourian, MD, MEng, Michelle Buontempo, NP, and Mark Souweidane, MD.
Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify
Virtual surgical planning is a computerized process that maps out the bone cuts and hardware placement that will be needed during craniofacial surgery. Using VSP in advance decreases reliance on subjective assessment in predicting both the aesthetic and functional outcomes; it informs surgical decision-making, and helps set parents' expectations about outcomes.
When used together with computer-assisted design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), VSP has been shown to decrease operative time and create a more efficient surgical workflow. Previous studies about VSP in cranial reconstruction had primarily looked at single-suture craniosynostosis; this new paper describes our institutional experience with VSP in cases of complex craniosynostosis and repair of calvarial abnormalities over a six-year period. The review looked at 32 patients (20 who underwent VSP and 12 who did not) and concluded that VSP can increase the safety and efficiency of complex craniosynostosis surgery.
More about the Craniosynostosis Program