Application of 3D printing for customised treatment of upper limb disorders.

Abstract

Purpose: Three-dimensional (3D) technology is rapidly emerging as a valuable tool in the medical and healthcare industry, particularly for performing corrective osteotomies in upper limb extremities. This study involved patients with impaired upper limb function who underwent corrective osteotomies using a computer-assisted 3D surgical planning process with 3D-printed, patient-specific plates. The biomechanical performance of these 3D-printed, patient-specific plates was enhanced while maintaining crucial properties such as corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, ensuring their safety for clinical application in humans. The surgical outcomes were analyzed by visualizing bone healing, and an evaluation was conducted to assess the success of these methodologies by comparing the clinical outcomes achieved with those planned during the surgical planning phase.

Patients and methods: Eight cases involving malunions and deformities were treated using patient-specific bone plates fabricated through metal additive manufacturing. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans were used to generate virtual bone models for surgical planning. Normal/anatomical bone alignment was achieved by mirroring the contralateral healthy bone and projecting it onto the affective bone model. Surgical guides and patient-specific bone implants were then designed. These implants underwent an innovative cyclic heat treatment to optimize their strength and ductility for enhanced biomechanical performance.

Results: The final outcomes for the patients were assessed using functional scoring and radiographs. The 3D-printed surgical guides facilitated accurate osteotomy angulation and precise positioning of drilled holes, ensuring optimal placement of customised, mechanically enhanced bone plates. All patients demonstrated improved DASH scores and experienced reduced or no pain after healing.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the success of personalized treatment for upper limb disorders using 3D-printed, patient-specific plates, which showed improved biomechanical performance after tailored heat treatment. This method of preparing patient-specific implants offers a safe and highly effective approach to treating malunions and deformities in the upper limbs with reduced surgical time.