CAPS: Computer-Aided Plastic Surgery

This thesis examines interactive computer graphics and biomechanical engineering analysis as components in a computer simulation system for planning plastic surgeries. A new synthesis of plastic surgery planning techniques is proposed based on a task-level analysis of the problem. The medical goals, procedures, and current planning techniques for plastic surgery are reviewed, and from this a list of requirements for the simulator is derived. The requirements can be broken down into the areas of modeling the patient, specifying the surgical plan, and visualizing the results of mechanical analysis. Ideas from computer-aided design and the finite element method are used to address the problem of patient modeling. Two-and three-dimensional computer graphics interface techniques can be used to interactively specify the surgical plan and the analysis to perform. Three-dimensional computer graphics can also be used to display the analysis results either in an interactive viewing system or through the generation of animated sequences on video tape. The prototype system combines modeling, interaction, and visualization techniques to allow iterative design of a surgical procedure. Several clinicians were shown the prototype system and were interviewed about its applicability. Text of these interviews is included in this thesis. The clinicians' comments indicate that the CAPS system represents a new approach to plastic surgery planning and is viable for clinical application.