A simplified guide ruler from numeric table method in doing rotational osteotomy.
BACKGROUND
Cobeljić et al. recently reported a numeric table method to provide precise rotational osteotomy which is a well established orthopaedic procedure. The numeric table requires four pages in length that is rather inconvenient during performing an osteotomy operation.


METHODS
We thus develop our own method by summarizing the data of the four-page table into a small ruler, which is easy to carry and use in operation room. An electrical version of this ruler is also available. We also build a computer model to verify Cobeljić et al. method.


RESULTS
The error of Cobeljić et al. is between -37% to 16% (mean +/- SD = -6% +/- 9%). We verify our ruler by calculating the absolute difference between our method and that of Cobeljić et al. The difference is less than 0.1 mm.


CONCLUSIONS
Our ruler is convenient for practical use for the rotational osteotomy procedure with equal precision. Further clinical verification is needed to justify its real significance.
Liaw
Chen-Kun
CK
Institute of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei city, Taiwan. d92008@yahoo.com.tw
Yang
Rong-Sen
RS
Hou
Sheng-Mou
SM
Wu
Tai-Yin
TY
Fuh
Chiou-Shann
CS
D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008954:Models, Biological; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D012399:Rotation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014894:Weights and Measures