Revision of complex acetabular defects using cages with the aid of rapid prototyping

Custom-made 3D-printed porous metal acetabular composite component in revision hip arthroplasty with Paprosky type III acetabular defects: A case report

BACKGROUND

Increases in the numbers of surgical procedures for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) inevitably lead to increases in the requirements for revision THA. The achievement of long-term stability is difficult or impossible by conventional implants in patients with severe destruction of the acetabulum.

OBJECTIVE

This case report presents a successful treatment using a specific three-dimensional (3D)-printed porous titanium acetabular composite component without a flange in the management of Paprosky type IIIB acetabular defects.

METHOD

A 65-year-old female diagnosed with right hip prosthetic loosening with a huge acetabular defect presented to our hospital. We designed the 3D model of the pelvis and created an individualized 3D-printed porous titanium acetabular composite component for revision THA. The procedure was performed through a posterolateral approach, and the component was implanted in the defect and fixed with cup screws using the drill guides.

RESULTS

At the last follow-up at 2 years, the patient had a satisfactory hip joint function and no signs of loosening or other complications were found.

CONCLUSIONS

The 3D-printed porous titanium acetabular composite component without a flange is showing promising clinical and radiological outcomes in the management of Paprosky type III acetabular defects.

Use of Customized 3D-Printed Titanium Augment With Tantalum Trabecular Cup for Large Acetabular Bone Defects in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Midterm Follow-Up Study

Aims: In revision total hip arthroplasty (THA), large acetabular bone defects pose challenges for surgeons. Recently, wide application of trabecular tantalum, which has outstanding biocompatibility and mechanical properties, and the development of three-dimensional (3D) printing have led to the introduction of new schemes for acetabular reconstruction. However, few studies have focused on the treatment of bone defects with customized 3D-printed titanium augments combined with tantalum trabecular cup. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effect of this therapy in patients who underwent revision THAs.

Patients and Methods: We included 23 patients with Paprosky type III acetabular bone defects who underwent revision THA between January 2013 and June 2019. The preoperative hip rotation center and functional score were compared with those at 2–7 years (average 4.7 years) postoperatively to evaluate the midterm prognosis of our treatment choice.

Results: Postoperatively, the rotation centres of all hips were comparable with those of the contralateral hips. Hip function improved with average Harris Hip Score improved from 33.5 (22.7–40.2) to 86.1 (73.5–95.6) and average Oxford Hip Score improved from 8.3 (0–14) to 38.8 (35–48) during follow-up. One dislocation, which occurred due to extreme hip flexion within 6 weeks, was treated with closed reduction, and no recurrent dislocation occurred. No nerve injury, infection, aseptic loosening, or osteolysis were observed and no re-revision was performed in any patient.

Conclusion: Satisfactory midterm outcomes were obtained with 3D-printed titanium augment combined with tantalum cup for the treatment of acetabular defects in revision THA. Changes in the Harris Hip Score and Oxford Hip Score suggested a significant improvement in hip function.

Reliability and validity test of a novel three-dimensional acetabular bone defect classification system aided with additive manufacturing

Background

Accurate assessment of acetabular defects and designing precise and feasible surgical plans are essential for positive outcomes of hip revision arthroplasty. Additive manufacturing (AM) is a novel technique to print physical object models. We propose a three-dimensional acetabular bone defect classification system aided with AM model, and further assess its reliability and validity under blinded conditions.

Methods

We reviewed 104 consecutive patients who underwent hip revision arthroplasty at our department between January 2014 and December 2019, of whom 45 had AM models and were included in the reliability and validity tests. Three orthopedic surgeons retrospectively evaluated the bone defects of these 45 patients with our proposed classification, made surgical plans, and repeated the process after 2 weeks. The reliability and validity of the classification results and corresponding surgical plans were assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient or kappa correlation coefficient.

Results

The reliability and validity of the classification results were excellent. The mean initial intra-class correlation coefficient for inter-observer reliability was 0.947, which increased to 0.972 when tested a second time. The intra-observer reliability ranged from 0.958 to 0.980. Validity of the classification results also showed a high kappa correlation coefficient of 0.951–0.967. When considering corresponding surgical plans, the reliability and validity were also excellent, with intra-class correlation coefficients and kappa correlation coefficients measuring all over 0.9.

Conclusions

This three-dimensional acetabular defect classification has excellent reliability and validity. Using this classification system and AM models, accurate assessment of bone defect and reliable surgical plans could be achieved. This classification aided with AM is a promising tool for surgeons for preoperative evaluation.

Evaluation of the feasibility of acetabular cup pre-determination in revision total hip arthroplasty via X-ray of the bone stock of the anterosuperior acetabulum

Purpose

This study was aimed to explore (1) location on AP pelvic X-ray that displayed bone stock in anterosuperior acetabulum; (2) whether X-ray could provide enough evidence to evaluate whether bone stock could provide support for acetabular cup; (3) criteria to determine whether anterosuperior bone stock could provide sufficient support for cup on X-ray.

Methods

Our study retrospectively collected 43 patients who underwent revision THA for cup loosening from 2014 to 2019. The position of anterosuperior acetabular bone stock was compared between X-ray and CT-based 3-D reconstruction. Seventy-millimeter acetabular cup was implanted simulatively to obtain the contact line between acetabular cup and superolateral remaining bone stock. The contact line length and the angle were measured. Patients were divided into cup group and cage group, and ROC curves of both contact line length and angle were drawn.

Results

The superolateral part of acetabulum on X-ray could reflect the anterosuperior host bone stock of acetabulum according to the comparison of anteroposterior pelvic X-ray and 3-D reconstruction. Critical point was chosen when we got the highest sensitivity with a 100% specificity in ROC curves. The critical values of contact length and angle were 15.58 mm and 25.5°.

Conclusions

Surgeons could assess the anterosuperior bone stock of acetabulum by AP pelvic X-ray to decide whether revision could be done merely using cup or need customized cage. Clinically, when contact line length was larger than 16 mm or contact angle was larger than 25.5°, adoption of cup could obtain primary stability in the revision surgery in most cases.

Comparison of 3D Printing Rapid Prototyping Technology with Traditional Radiographs in Evaluating Acetabular Defects in Revision Hip Arthroplasty: A Prospective and Consecutive Study

Objective

To compare rapid prototyping technology (RP tech) in revision total hip arthroplasty (RTHA) with traditional examination methods and to see how they are different in evaluating acetabular anatomy and designing surgical procedure.

Methods

From February 2014 to March 2018, 43 RTHA patients with complex acetabulum defects were enrolled in this prospective study regardless of age or gender. Incomplete and unclear data were excluded. Three types of radiographic examination were performed on each patient before the revision surgery. Four groups of evaluations were designed: (i) X‐ray; (ii) computed tomography (CT‐scan); (iii) RP tech; and (iv) CT‐aided RP tech. Discrepancies between preoperative radiographic analysis and intra‐operative findings were separately compared by a team of surgeons. Premade surgical plans based on each evaluation method were compared with the final surgical procedure. The compliance of anatomic evaluation and surgical plan‐design based on 3D RP tech and traditional radiographs were ranked manually by a of team surgeons into: (i) complete accordance; (ii) general accordance; and (iii) undetermined structure/procedure. The difference in ranks between RP tech and traditional radiographic methods were analyzed with a nonparametric Kruskal‐Wallis test. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Multiple adjustments were taken for the statistical tests level according to the Bonferroni method.

Results

For anatomic analysis, the accordance in four groups of evaluating methods differed from each other (P < 0.05) except for the comparison of RP tech and CT‐aided RP tech. RP tech displayed better anatomic evaluating accuracy than traditional methods (X‐ray and CT) with the “complete accordance” rates of these groups being 88.37%, 4.65% and 27.91%, respectively. But CT‐aided RP tech did not improve accuracy significantly compared with using RP tech individually, although the value seems high in the CT‐aided RP group with the “complete accordance” rate of 95.35%. For surgery design, RP tech significantly showed better applicable surgical design compared with X‐ray and CT (P < 0.05), and the “complete accordance” rates were 88.37%, 6.98% and 23.26%, but no significant difference was observed between RP tech and CT‐aided RP tech, and the “complete accordance” rate of CT‐aided RP tech group was 97.67%. RP tech showed remarkable improvement in bone defect assessment and surgical plan design.

Conclusion

Using RP technology improved both sensibility and accuracy in acetabular defect evaluation with better locating and evaluating efficiency compared with X‐ray and CT‐scans. It also improved surgical schedule designing in complex acetabular defecting revision surgery. In particularly complex cases, CT aided RP tech may increase the accuracy of RP tech.

Surgical planning of pelvic tumor using multi-view CNN with relation-context representation learning

Limb salvage surgery of malignant pelvic tumors is the most challenging procedure in musculoskeletal oncology due to the complex anatomy of the pelvic bones and soft tissues. It is crucial to accurately resect the pelvic tumors with appropriate margins in this procedure. However, there is still a lack of efficient and repetitive image planning methods for tumor identification and segmentation in many hospitals. In this paper, we present a novel deep learning-based method to accurately segment pelvic bone tumors in MRI. Our method uses a multi-view fusion network to extract pseudo-3D information from two scans in different directions and improves the feature representation by learning a relational context. In this way, it can fully utilize spatial information in thick MRI scans and reduce over-fitting when learning from a small dataset. Our proposed method was evaluated on two independent datasets collected from 90 and 15 patients, respectively. The segmentation accuracy of our method was superior to several comparing methods and comparable to the expert annotation, while the average time consumed decreased about 100 times from 1820.3 seconds to 19.2 seconds. In addition, we incorporate our method into an efficient workflow to improve the surgical planning process. Our workflow took only 15 minutes to complete surgical planning in a phantom study, which is a dramatic acceleration compared with the 2-day time span in a traditional workflow.

Virtual preoperative planning and 3D printing are valuable for the management of complex orthopaedic trauma

PURPOSE

The technology of 3D printing (3DP) exists for quite some time, but it is still not utilized to its full potential in the field of orthopaedics and traumatology, such as underestimating its worth in virtual preoperative planning (VPP) and designing various models, templates, and jigs. It can be a significant tool in the reduction of surgical morbidity and better surgical outcome avoiding various associated complications.

METHODS

An observational study was done including 91 cases of complex trauma presented in our institution requiring operative fixation. Virtual preoperative planning and 3DP were used in the management of these fractures. Surgeons managing these cases were given a set of questionnaire and responses were recorded and assessed as a quantitative data.

RESULTS

In all the 91 cases, where VPP and 3DP were used, the surgeons were satisfied with the outcome which they got intraoperatively and postoperatively. Surgical time was reduced, with a better outcome. Three dimensional models of complex fracture were helpful in understanding the anatomy and sketching out the plans for optimum reduction and fixation. The average score of the questionnaire was 4.5, out of a maximum of 6, suggesting a positive role of 3DP in orthopaedics.

CONCLUSION

3DP is useful in complex trauma management by accurate reduction and placement of implants, reduction of surgical time and with a better outcome. Although there is an initial learning curve to understand and execute the VPP and 3DP, these become easier with practice and experience.

Feasibility of single-use 3D-printed instruments for total knee arthroplasty

Aims

This aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of designing and introducing generic 3D-printed instrumentation for routine use in total knee arthroplasty.

Materials and Methods

Instruments were designed to take advantage of 3D-printing technology, particularly ensuring that all parts were pre-assembled, to theoretically reduce the time and skill required during surgery. Concerning functionality, ranges of resection angle and distance were restricted within a safe zone, while accommodating either mechanical or anatomical alignment goals. To identify the most suitable biocompatible materials, typical instrument shapes and mating parts, such as dovetails and screws, were designed and produced.

Results

Before and after steam sterilization, dimensional analysis showed that acrylonitrile butadiene styrene could not withstand the temperatures without dimensional changes. Oscillating saw tests with slotted cutting blocks produced debris, fractures, or further dimensional changes in the shape of Nylon-12 and polymethylmethacrylate (MED610), but polyetherimide ULTEM 1010 was least affected.

Conclusion

The study showed that 3D-printed instrumentation was technically feasible and had some advantages. However, other factors, such as whether all procedural steps can be accomplished with a set of 3D-printed instruments, the logistics of delivery, and the economic aspects, require further study. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B(7 Supple C):115–120

[Clinical application of three-dimensional printed metal prosthesis in joint surgery]

Objective

To summarize the application progress of three-dimensional (3D) printed metal prosthesis in joint surgery.

Methods

The related literature was extensively reviewed. The effectiveness of 3D printed metal prosthesis in treatment of joint surgery diseases were discussed and summarized, including the all key issues in prosthesis transplantation such as prosthesis stability, postoperative complications, bone ingrowth, etc.

Results

3D printed metal prosthesis has good matching degree, can accurately reconstruct and restore joint function, reduce operation time, and achieve high patient satisfaction in short- and medium-term follow-up. Its application in joint surgery has made good progress.

Conclusion

The personalized microporous structure prostheses of different shapes produced by 3D printing can solve the problem of poor personalized matching of joints for special patients existing in traditional prostheses. Therefore, 3D printing technology is full of hope and will bring great potential to the reform of orthopedic practice in the future.

A preliminary study of the novel antibiotic-loaded cement computer-aided design-articulating spacer for the treatment of periprosthetic knee infection

BACKGROUND

In comparison to static spacers, articulating spacers have been shown to result in a similar infection eradication rate in two-stage revision of periprosthetic knee infections. However, the optimal construct for articulating spacers has not been identified yet. The aim of this study was to present a preliminary result of treatment for periprosthetic knee infection using a novel computer-aided design (CAD)-articulating spacer.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 32 consecutive cases of chronic periprosthetic knee infection occurring from January 2015 to December 2015. In these cases, we used an antibiotic-loaded, optimized CAD-articulating spacer based on the retrieved knee prosthesis. Evaluation included infection eradication rate, the Hospital of Special Surgery (HSS) knee score, range of motion (ROM), and spacer-related mechanical complications. All cases were regularly followed-up for 2 years minimum.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight of 32 patients (87.5%) had infection eradication; 18 patients (56.3%) received reimplantation successfully. The mean interval between spacer insertion and reimplantation was 8.8 months (range 4.0-12.5 months). The mean HSS knee score and ROM significantly increased during each interval (p < 0.0001 for both). The mean HSS knee scores were 31.2 (range 20-48) at initial visit, 65.4 (range 60-78.8) at 1 month after spacer insertion, and 84.2 (range 78-90) at 3 months after reimplantation (p < 0.0001). The mean ROM were 72.0° (range 15-100°), 85.6° (range 35-110°), and 102.0° (range 80-122°), respectively (p = 0.002). Two (6.3%) spacer-related mechanical complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

The CAD-articulating spacer in two-staged revision of periprosthetic knee infection significantly controlled infection, improved clinical outcomes, increased ROM, and decreased mechanical complications in the preliminary study. Further larger clinical studies are needed to confirm the findings presented here.

What we have achieved in the design of 3D printed metal implants for application in orthopedics? Personal experience and review

Purpose

This paper aims to review the latest applications in terms of three-dimensional printed (3DP) metal implants in orthopedics, and, importantly, the design of 3DP metal implants through a series of cases operated at The Second Hospital of Jilin University were presented.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is available to practitioners who are use 3DP implants in orthopedics. This review began with the deficiency of traditional prostheses and basic concepts of 3DP implants. Then, representative 3DP clinical cases were summarized and compared, and the experiences using customized prostheses and directions for future potential development are also shown.

Findings

The results obtained from the follow-up of clinical applications of 3DP implants show that the 3D designed and printed metal implants could exhibit good bone defect matching, quick and safe joint functional rehabilitation as well as saving time in surgery, which achieved high patient satisfaction collectively.

Originality/value

Single center experiences of 3DP metal implants design were shared and the detailed technical points between various regions were compared and analyzed. In conclusion, the 3DP technology is infusive and will present huge potential to reform future orthopedic practice.

Novel exploration of customized 3D printed shoulder prosthesis in revision of total shoulder arthroplasty: A case report

RATIONALE

This paper describes the application of individual customized 3-dimensional (3D) printed macro-porous Ti6Al4 V shoulder prosthesis in the revision of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) for the patient with severe bone defects.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 47-year-old male had been under proximal humeral resection and TSA due to shoulder chondrosarcoma 6 years ago, but a second surgery to insert a new prosthesis was then performed because the prosthesis became loose 2 months ago leaving severe bone defects which conventional prosthesis was not suitable for revision of TSA. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons' Form (ASES), Neer and Constant-Murley score were 36, 39, and 39, respectively.

DIAGNOSES

The patient was diagnosed with shoulder bone defects and restriction of the shoulder movement.

INTERVENTIONS

3D printed shoulder model and computer-aided design (CAD) were used for prosthesis design and surgical simulation. The novel 3D printed titanium alloy shoulder prosthesis was customized subsequently to be used in the revision of TSA. The patient was followed up regularly after surgery. The ASES, Neer Shoulder score and Constant-Murley Shoulder score were evaluated during pre-operation, post-operation, and follow-up.

OUTCOMES

Prosthesis was successfully implanted to complete anatomic reconstruction intraoperatively. The scores of ASES, Neer, and Constant-Murley were gradually increased after the operation. According to the X-ray, the bone healed satisfactorily without change of prosthetic position at 3rd and 12th months after the operation. The function of shoulder could meet the requirements of daily activities.

LESSONS

The application of customized 3D printed titanium alloy shoulder prosthesis in the revision of TSA achieves satisfactory results. It provides a novel method for the similar revision surgery with severe bone defects.

The Emerging Role of 3D Printing in Arthroplasty and Orthopedics

This article reviews the emerging role of 3D printing in arthroplasty and orthopedics, a topic of growing relevancy. It discusses the evolution of the technology, the value offered by the technology, current trends and factors impacting adoption in orthopedics, and areas of current and potential future use in arthroplasty and orthopedics.

Additive manufacturing technique-designed metallic porous implants for clinical application in orthopedics

Traditional metallic scaffold prostheses, as vastly applied implants in clinical orthopedic operations, have achieved great success in rebuilding limb function. However, mismatch of bone defects and additional coating requirements limit the long-term survival of traditional prostheses. Recently, additive manufacturing (AM) has opened up unprecedented possibilities for producing complicated structures in prosthesis shapes and microporous surface designs of customized prostheses, which can solve the drawback of traditional prostheses mentioned above. This review presents the most commonly used metallic additive manufacturing techniques, the microporous structure design of metallic scaffolds, and novel applications of customized prostheses in the orthopedic field. Challenges and future perspectives on AM fabricated scaffolds are also summarized.

The precision and reliability evaluation of 3-dimensional printed damaged bone and prosthesis models by stereo lithography appearance

Recently, clinical application of 3D printed model was increasing. However, there was no systemic study for confirming the precision and reliability of 3D printed model. Some senior clinical doctors mistrusted its reliability in clinical application. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the precision and reliability of stereolithography appearance (SLA) 3D printed model.Some related parameters were selected to research the reliability of SLA 3D printed model. The computed tomography (CT) data of bone/prosthesis and model were collected and 3D reconstructed. Some anatomical parameters were measured and statistical analysis was performed; the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to was used to evaluate the similarity between the model and real bone/prosthesis. the absolute difference (mm) and relative difference (%) were conducted. For prosthesis model, the 3-dimensional error was measured.There was no significant difference in the anatomical parameters except max height (MH) of long bone. All the ICCs were greater than 0.990. The maximum absolute and relative difference were 0.45 mm and 1.10%; The 3-dimensional error analysis showed that positive/minus distance were 0.273 mm/0.237 mm.The application of SLA 3D printed model in diagnosis and treatment process of complex orthopedic disease was reliable and precise.

3D Printing to Guide Ventricular Assist Device Placement in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Failure

As the population of adults with congenital heart disease continues to grow, so does the number of these patients with heart failure. Ventricular assist devices are underutilized in adults with congenital heart disease due to their complex anatomic arrangements and physiology. Advanced imaging techniques that may increase the utilization of mechanical circulatory support in this population must be explored. Three-dimensional printing offers individualized structural models that would enable pre-surgical planning of cannula and device placement in adults with congenital cardiac disease and heart failure who are candidates for such therapies. We present a review of relevant cardiac anomalies, cases in which such models could be utilized, and some background on the cost and procedure associated with this process.

3D-printing techniques in a medical setting: a systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has numerous applications and has gained much interest in the medical world. The constantly improving quality of 3D-printing applications has contributed to their increased use on patients. This paper summarizes the literature on surgical 3D-printing applications used on patients, with a focus on reported clinical and economic outcomes.

METHODS

Three major literature databases were screened for case series (more than three cases described in the same study) and trials of surgical applications of 3D printing in humans.

RESULTS

227 surgical papers were analyzed and summarized using an evidence table. The papers described the use of 3D printing for surgical guides, anatomical models, and custom implants. 3D printing is used in multiple surgical domains, such as orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, cranial surgery, and spinal surgery. In general, the advantages of 3D-printed parts are said to include reduced surgical time, improved medical outcome, and decreased radiation exposure. The costs of printing and additional scans generally increase the overall cost of the procedure.

CONCLUSION

3D printing is well integrated in surgical practice and research. Applications vary from anatomical models mainly intended for surgical planning to surgical guides and implants. Our research suggests that there are several advantages to 3D-printed applications, but that further research is needed to determine whether the increased intervention costs can be balanced with the observable advantages of this new technology. There is a need for a formal cost-effectiveness analysis.

Blood Pool Segmentation Results in Superior Virtual Cardiac Models than Myocardial Segmentation for 3D Printing

The method of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) three-dimensional (3D) image acquisition and post-processing which should be used to create optimal virtual models for 3D printing has not been studied systematically. Patients (n = 19) who had undergone CMR including both 3D balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) imaging and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) were retrospectively identified. Post-processing for the creation of virtual 3D models involved using both myocardial (MS) and blood pool (BP) segmentation, resulting in four groups: Group 1-bSSFP/MS, Group 2-bSSFP/BP, Group 3-MRA/MS and Group 4-MRA/BP. The models created were assessed by two raters for overall quality (1-poor; 2-good; 3-excellent) and ability to identify predefined vessels (1-5: superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, main pulmonary artery, ascending aorta and at least one pulmonary vein). A total of 76 virtual models were created from 19 patient CMR datasets. The mean overall quality scores for Raters 1/2 were 1.63 ± 0.50/1.26 ± 0.45 for Group 1, 2.12 ± 0.50/2.26 ± 0.73 for Group 2, 1.74 ± 0.56/1.53 ± 0.61 for Group 3 and 2.26 ± 0.65/2.68 ± 0.48 for Group 4. The numbers of identified vessels for Raters 1/2 were 4.11 ± 1.32/4.05 ± 1.31 for Group 1, 4.90 ± 0.46/4.95 ± 0.23 for Group 2, 4.32 ± 1.00/4.47 ± 0.84 for Group 3 and 4.74 ± 0.56/4.63 ± 0.49 for Group 4. Models created using BP segmentation (Groups 2 and 4) received significantly higher ratings than those created using MS for both overall quality and number of vessels visualized (p < 0.05), regardless of the acquisition technique. There were no significant differences between Groups 1 and 3. The ratings for Raters 1 and 2 had good correlation for overall quality (ICC = 0.63) and excellent correlation for the total number of vessels visualized (ICC = 0.77). The intra-rater reliability was good for Rater A (ICC = 0.65). Three models were successfully printed on desktop 3D printers with good quality and accurate representation of the virtual 3D models. We recommend using BP segmentation with either MRA or bSSFP source datasets to create virtual 3D models for 3D printing. Desktop 3D printers can offer good quality printed models with accurate representation of anatomic detail.

Custom Acetabular Cages Offer Stable Fixation and Improved Hip Scores for Revision THA With Severe Bone Defects

BACKGROUND

Revision THA is particularly challenging in hips with severe acetabular bone loss. When the extent or geometry of the acetabular bone loss precludes more-straightforward techniques such as jumbo hemispheric cementless shells, reconstruction with morselized allograft protected by a custom cage may offer an alternative, but, to our knowledge, few series have reported on results with this approach.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

For patients with severe (Paprosky IIIB) defects, we asked: do individualized custom cages result in (1) improved Harris hip scores; (2) restoration of hip center; and (3) a low incidence of surgical complications?

METHODS

Twenty-six patients (26 hips) with a massive acetabular defect were involved in this study from 2003 to 2013. During this period, one patient was lost to followup and one died, leaving 24 patients (eight males, 16 females) in this retrospective analysis. The customized cages were individualized to each patient's bone defect based on rapid-prototype three-dimensional printed models. Mean followup was 67 months (range, 24-120 months). Harris hip scores were assessed before surgery and at each followup. Postoperative radiographs were evaluated for cage position, migration, and graft incorporation. Complications and reoperations were assessed by chart review.

RESULTS

The mean Harris hip score improved from 36 (SD, 8; range, 20-49) to 82 (SD, 18; range, 60-96) (p < 0.001). Individualized custom cages resulted in generally reliable restoration of the hip center. No rerevisions have been performed. None of the cups showed radiographic migration, but one cage was believed to be loose, based on a circumferential 2-mm radiolucent line. Cancellous allografts appeared to be incorporated in 23 of 24 patients. One deep infection and one superficial infection were observed and treated with irrigation, débridement, and vacuum-sealing drainage. One dislocation and one suspected injury of the superior gluteal nerve also were observed and treated conservatively.

CONCLUSIONS

Individualized custom cages using rapid prototyping and three-dimensional printing appeared to provide stable fixation and improved hip scores at short-term followup in this small, single-center series. As further improvements in the design and manufacturing process are made, future studies should evaluate larger patient groups for longer times, and, ideally, compare this approach with alternatives for these complex bone defects.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, therapeutic study.

Advantages and disadvantages of 3-dimensional printing in surgery: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is becoming increasingly important in medicine and especially in surgery. The aim of the present work was to identify the advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing applied in surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of articles on 3D printing applications in surgery published between 2005 and 2015 and identified using a PubMed and EMBASE search. Studies dealing with bioprinting, dentistry, and limb prosthesis or those not conducted in a hospital setting were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 158 studies met the inclusion criteria. Three-dimensional printing was used to produce anatomic models (n = 113, 71.5%), surgical guides and templates (n = 40, 25.3%), implants (n = 15, 9.5%) and molds (n = 10, 6.3%), and primarily in maxillofacial (n = 79, 50.0%) and orthopedic (n = 39, 24.7%) operations. The main advantages reported were the possibilities for preoperative planning (n = 77, 48.7%), the accuracy of the process used (n = 53, 33.5%), and the time saved in the operating room (n = 52, 32.9%); 34 studies (21.5%) stressed that the accuracy was not satisfactory. The time needed to prepare the object (n = 31, 19.6%) and the additional costs (n = 30, 19.0%) were also seen as important limitations for routine use of 3D printing.

CONCLUSION

The additional cost and the time needed to produce devices by current 3D technology still limit its widespread use in hospitals. The development of guidelines to improve the reporting of experience with 3D printing in surgery is highly desirable.

The use of customized cages in revision total hip arthroplasty for Paprosky type III acetabular bone defects

PURPOSE

Revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) is challenging if severe periacetabular bone loss is present. Here we describe a method that uses a customised cage to reconstruct an acetabulum with a massive bone defect.

METHODS

Designed with the aid of the rapid prototyping technique, a customised cage with a hook, crest and flange or braids was made, and then utilized to reconstruct severe compromised acetabulum in revision THA since 2001. Twenty-two patients (23 hips) were included in this study. The mean patient age at the time of surgery was 60.9 years (range, 38-80 years). Three hips had massive acetabular bone defects of Paprosky type IIIA and 20 of type IIIB. The Harris hip score was used to evaluate hip function. Radiographs were taken to evaluate loosening of the cage and resorption of allograft bone.

RESULTS

The average follow up was 81.6 ± 24.9 months. The mean Harris hip score improved from 39.6 pre-operatively to 80.9 at the final follow-up. There were no instances of deep infection, severe venous thrombosis, and nerve palsy. One patient who had an intra-operative rupture of the superior acetabular artery was successfully treated using the haemostatic suturing technique. Two patients experienced dislocation at post-operative days four and six, respectively, and both were treated with closed reduction and skin traction for three weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrates that a customised cage may be a promising option for THA revision of severely compromised acetabula. Extended follow-up is necessary to evaluate the long-term performance of this approach.