Virtual pre-operative reconstruction planning for comminuted articular fractures

3D puzzle solving methods for this purpose were previously developed utilizing surrogate specimens [1]. Accurate fracture reconstructions were obtained by interactively matching native fragment surfaces to an intact template. While successfully piloted in a clinical case, more automated methods will be required in order for this approach to be practical in a clinical setting [2]. Surrogate geometries were obtained from high resolution laser scans, but in vivo geometries were segmented from CT data using fairly laborious methods. Additional complexity is present in vivo, as the structure of peri-articular bone makes it more susceptible to plastic deformations (i.e., crush).