The Elementary Research On Virtual Surgery System For Pelvic Fracture Treatment

Complex pelvic fractrue continue to present challenges to orthopaedic surgeon in diagnosis and therapy correctly using conventional methods, which is based on two-dimensional analysis, diagnosis and simulation. Fortunately, the development of computed tomography and three-dimensi- onal reconstruction and visualization technique have brought a revolution in medicine. Three-dimensional visualization with proper computer software and environment can be used for diagnosis and surgical planning and simulation. Based on this, a three-dimensional Orthopaedic planning and simulation system was developed to raise the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment, and promote the communication and cooperation between patients and doctors.Our system was established on the basis of Windows XP operation system and Software was programmed by Visual C++ 6.0 programming language and VTK. The design of the whole system abides by idea of OO(Object Oriented), which guarantees modularization and maintainability. The well interfaces between modules guarantee the incessancy of the system. This experiment included two parts as following:1. Establishment of 3-D pevic model:All the raw data of CT scans were digitally transferred from the CT scanner to our PC without losing any signal. After 2-D and 3-D image preprocessing, Marching Cubes algorithm was used to generate the 3-D skeletal model. OpenGL was used for developing interactive two dimens- ional and three-dimensional visualization, and VTK was used programming surface rendering and decimation computation. The 3D pelvic model can beview from an arbitrary viewing point.2. Planning and simulation of pelvic fracture operation:Having set out the plate's length and position interactively in the 3D pelvic model, we can achieve the three dimensional plate model automatically by using"shape module"which is programmed using Microsoft? Visual C++ 6.0. The shaped plate model can be put back to the position we have already set out in the pelvic three dimensional model to check the adaptability. If the adptability is satisfying, the virtual three dimensional plate model can be used to manufacture real plate model by RP Technology (Rapid Prototyping Technology) or other modeling technique, or manufacture real plate for surgery operation by CAM Technology (Computer Aided Manufacturing Technology) in the plate factory.All of the functions provided above, however, are based on individual computer modules, programs and schemes, and complicated parameters are needed to be inputted during surgical planning and simulation procedure. So it is not yet an integrated computer system and it's still not easy to be used by surgeons without professional computer graphics knowledge. Further- more, the accuracy of the system is only visually identified. Future work will focus on a comparative study between predicted models and postoper- ative models by surface anthropometry in order to verify the accuracy of the system quantitatively. It is also important to integrate the current schemes and programs to establish a user-friendly computer-assisted three dimensional virtual reality surgical planning and simulation workbench for Orthopaedics surgery and doctors'everyday use in clinic.