Abstract: PURPOSE: Craniomaxillofacial deformities caused by tumors and congenital development affect the function and appearance of patients. This study compared the advantages of digitally surgically assisted craniomaxillofacial deformity surgery versus conventional surgery and evaluated its long-term outcomes. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study that included patients who required craniomaxillofacial deformity revision due to tumor, infection, congenital development, etc, via digitally assisted surgery or traditional empirical surgery. After inclusion in the study and follow-up as planned, surgery-related data and CT data were collected at baseline, intra-operative and postoperative follow-up periods, and the difference between the actual and ideal postoperative mandibles was calculated separately for the two groups using chromatographic error analysis with Mimics software. SPSS 21.0 software package was used to analyzed the data. RESULTS: A cohort of 72 cases of craniomaxillofacial deformities was established, with 36 cases in each group. Chromatographic error analysis showed a preoperative and postoperative deviation of (1.06±0.06) mm in the digital group and (1.23±0.06) mm in the control group, and multifactorial linear regression showed that digital surgery was significantly associated with better mandibular repair accuracy (P<0.05), and the complication rates were the same in both groups, with no serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Digital surgical technique assisted craniomaxillofacial deformity revision surgery significantly improved accuracy compared to traditional empirical surgery without increasing surgical complications, and its safety is reliable with stable long-term results.

Key words: Digital surgery, Craniomaxillofacial deformities, Cohort study