Clinical Efficacy of 3D-Printing Assisted Orbital Fracture Repair With Absorbable Plates Versus Preformed Titanium Mesh: A Comparative Study.

Abstract

<h4>Objective</h4>To investigate the therapeutic effect and safety evaluation of preformed titanium mesh and absorbable plate in 3D print-assisted orbital fracture repair surgery and traditional surgery, respectively.<h4>Methods</h4>This retrospective study analyzed 184 patients diagnosed with orbital blowout fracture from April 2017 to May 2024. The participants were stratified into 4 groups: 3D absorbable group, 3D titanium mesh group, conventional absorbable group, and conventional titanium mesh group. Parameters, including preoperative/postoperative exophthalmometry, orbital volume discrepancy, diplopia, ocular motility restriction, operative duration, and periorbital numbness, were evaluated.<h4>Results</h4>All procedures were successfully completed without severe complications such as infection, implant displacement, or irreversible vision loss, and postoperative CT scans indicated that the fracture sites were anatomically reduced well.The difference in enophthalmos and orbital volume among the 4 groups of patients was significantly reduced postoperatively compared with preoperatively, with a statistically significant difference ( P <0.05). Intergroup comparison showed that the difference in the 3D group was better than that in the conventional group ( P <0.05).In terms of diplopia improvement, the degree of diplopia in all 4 groups was significantly reduced postoperatively compared with preoperatively ( P <0.05), and the improvement in the 3D group was superior to that in the conventional groups ( P <0.05).The degree of restricted eye movement in the 4 groups of patients was significantly improved postoperatively compared with preoperatively ( P <0.05), and the improvement in the 3D absorbable group was better than that in the conventional absorbable group and the conventional titanium mesh group ( P <0.05), and the 3D titanium mesh group was better than the conventional titanium mesh group ( P <0.05).The operation time of the 3D group was significantly shorter than that of the conventional group ( P <0.05), and the operation time of the titanium mesh group in the conventional group was significantly shorter than that of the absorbable group in the conventional group ( P <0.05).<h4>Conclusion</h4>3D-printing technology enhances the precision of orbital fracture repair, resulting in shorter operative time, better anatomic restoration, and improved functional outcomes compared with conventional methods. Both preformed titanium mesh and absorbable plates are effective implants, with titanium offering greater time efficiency.