AIM: To present a method of repairing orbital floor fractures using pre-shaped titanium mesh implants that were formed on templates designed on the basis of computed tomography images by MIMICS.

METHODS: Ten patients with simple unilateral inferior orbital wall fracture were included in this study. All patients underwent transconjunctival repair of isolated orbital floor fractures. First, 3D virtual models and then 2D models with fracture areas were created on the basis of computed tomography images using MIMICS software. These 2D models were printed on the papers in real size and then sterilized as templates to shape the titanium mesh and which were then used in the reconstruction of orbital floor defects. Within 3 days after surgery, the orbits were then scanned by spiral CT to evaluate the reconstruction accuracy of preformed titanium mesh implants.

RESULTS: CT scans reveal that the preformed titanium mesh implants had great accuracy to reconstruct the orbital floor defects in all patients. Significant improvement resulted in 1 case with respect to diplopia and enophthalmos and total recovery in 9 cases.

CONCLUSION: It is clinically viable to build templates by MIMICS, on the basis of CT studies, that can be used to shape the titanium mesh in the repair of orbital floor fractures.