Maxillectomy Guided by 3D Printing Versus Conventional Surgery for Patients with Head and Neck Cancer.

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>This study evaluates the impact of three-dimensional (3D) printing-guided maxillectomy compared with conventional maxillectomy on surgical precision and oncological outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>A retrospective analysis was conducted on 42 patients undergoing maxillectomy (16 in a 3D printing-guided group and 26 in a conventional group). Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and outcomes were compared. Survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.<h4>Results</h4>The 3D printing group showed higher rates of negative resection margins (81.3% vs. 76.9%) compared with the conventional group and a trend toward improved 5-year local recurrence-free survival (87.5% vs. 58.7%, respectively) and overall survival (84.4% vs. 70.1%, respectively). However, the differences were not statistically significant.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Maxillectomy guided by 3D printing may offer enhanced surgical precision and improved local control in patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgeries. Further research with larger cohorts is necessary to confirm these findings.