Model experiments on application of oral and maxillofacial surgical robot-assisted mandibular tumor resection and reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Mandibular tumors significantly impact patient health and quality of life. Surgical resection is the primary treatment, often necessitating reconstruction to restore appearance and function. Traditional surgical methods rely heavily on surgeon experience, posing risks such as excessive blood loss and facial paralysis. The advent of digital and robotic-assisted surgical technologies offers improved precision and outcomes. METHODS: The study included five pairs of models with mandibular tumors, divided into a control group (traditional surgery) and an experimental group (robot-assisted surgery). In the experimental group, procedures were performed using a robot-assisted electromagnetic surgical navigation system, following alignment with the preoperative design under robotic guidance. Conversely, the control group underwent traditional surgery, where osteotomy positions were estimated empirically based on the preoperative design. Postoperative CT scans were used to compare the actual outcomes with the preoperative plans. The osteotomy accuracy and reconstruction outcome were evaluated by measuring the positional and angular errors between the preoperatively designed and actual postoperative data. RESULTS: The robot-assisted group demonstrated significantly lower osteotomy distance and angle errors compared to the control group. The reconstruction outcomes in the experimental group also showed superior alignment with preoperative plans, indicating better aesthetic and functional results. CONCLUSION: Robotic-assisted surgery for mandibular tumor resection and reconstruction enhances surgical precision and improves reconstructive outcomes compared to traditional methods. Further research with larger sample sizes and clinical settings is necessary to confirm these findings and expand clinical applications.