Purpose: In navigated craniomaxillofacial surgery, bone segments often have to be repositioned. To keep them reliably in the desired place during referencing and osteosynthesis, a miniature external distractor can be used.
Materials and methods: The use of a miniature external mandibular distractor is shown in a case of bilateral lateral orbital rim advancement during endocrine orbitopathy decompression surgery.
Results: The advantages of using a distractor are the possibility of changing the fragment position incrementally in all directions during intraoperative control with the navigated pointer and the small size of the appliance.
Conclusions: Bone segments can be manipulated intraoperatively with a miniature distractor in navigated surgery.
Copyright © 2013 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.