Planning Reconstruction for Facial Asymmetry

This paper describes the use of 3D shape modeling to plan reconstructive facial surgery for children born with facial asymmetry. The study used 3D images synthesized from high resolution CT scans. The images were manipulated using geometric morphometrics and the principal components of variation were derived. The software developed allows the user to either reconstruct how the whole face would appear without the presence of asymmetry, or to restrict the reconstruction to a smaller region that is surgically feasible to alter. The software aims to allow several observers to warp parts of the face along the principal components of variation until the most aesthetic result is achieved. The subjective assessment of an aesthetic result will be judged by surgeons and non surgeons. Having attained the optimum warp the type and amount of tissue required for surgery can be derived.