Current applications of 3-d intraoperative navigation in craniomaxillofacial surgery: a retrospective clinical review.

Intraoperative navigation is a tool that provides surgeons with real-time, interactive access to their patient's diagnostic imaging studies while in the operating room. This modality allows for anatomic localization and facilitates intraoperative planning and diagnosis. The application of intraoperative navigation to neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and orthopedic surgery has been well documented; however, only isolated reports have analyzed its potential in the field of craniomaxillofacial surgery. Advancements in 3-dimensional navigational systems have greatly improved the accuracy of the technology, further broadening its scope. In this article, we evaluate a series of 101 craniomaxillofacial cases in which intraoperative navigation was used. The most common application was for intraorbital cases, such as enophthalmos and acute orbital fracture repairs. Other applications included tumor resection, osteotomy design, pathology localization, and craniotomy design. The major limitations of this technology have been its cost and the fact that it cannot reliably be used for soft-tissue reconstruction currently.