AI-Assisted Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Breakthrough at University of Hong Kong

Innovative Technology Enhances Precision in Complex Reconstructive Procedures

HONG KONG: A team from the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Dentistry has successfully conducted groundbreaking AI-assisted reconstructive procedures. Led by Professor Richard Y. Su and Dr. Jane J. Pu, the surgical team collaborated with United Imaging Intelligence (UII) to employ the uAI MERITS platform, a cutting-edge system powered by a large multimodal model for medicine.

Addressing Long-standing Challenges in Maxillofacial Reconstruction

Maxillofacial reconstructive surgeries have long been hampered by the intricacy of facial anatomy, the need for both aesthetic and functional outcomes, and the demand for extreme surgical precision. A particular challenge has been the accurate identification and localisation of perforator vessels within soft tissue, crucial for successful mandibular reconstruction using free fibula flaps.

Traditionally, surgeons have relied heavily on their expertise and experience, often using auxiliary tools like ultrasound to estimate vessel locations. This approach, however, has often fallen short in terms of precision and efficiency.

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AI-Powered Solution Enhances Surgical Accuracy and Efficiency

The uAI MERITS platform, which stands for “Metaverse Ecosystem for Robotic Intervention, Therapy, and Surgery,” addresses these long-standing issues. By leveraging a robust, large-scale transformer model trained on diverse medical images, the system offers precise preoperative segmentation and intraoperative 3D image and video registration.

During the procedure, the system provided real-time projection of anatomy, dynamically aligning 3D reconstructions with the patient’s surgical site. This goggle-free approach allowed for “rapid and precise delineation of the surgical field, significantly improving the precision and success rate of the surgery.”

Successful Implementation in Multiple Cases

To date, the team has successfully completed three oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgeries using the uAI MERITS platform. While the first two procedures involved free fibula flap surgeries, the third marked a significant milestone by introducing the technique of harvesting the anterolateral thigh flap.

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International Recognition and Future Prospects

The success of these procedures has garnered international attention. At the recent International Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation Conference in Hong Kong, Professor Su shared a successful case study, which “garnered widespread attention from the attending experts and clinicians.”

James J. Xia, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at United Imaging Intelligence, highlighted the company’s commitment to further development in this field. He stated that they “will continue to collaborate with medical professionals to discover more clinical use cases and develop more clinical applications leveraging large model technology, thereby expanding possibilities for physicians and patients worldwide.”

Implications for Future of Maxillofacial Surgery

This breakthrough represents a significant step forward in the integration of AI and large multimodal models in real-world medical applications. As the technology continues to evolve and more use cases are explored, it holds the potential to transform the landscape of oral and maxillofacial reconstructive surgery, offering improved outcomes and experiences for both surgeons and patients alike.