Mechanical properties of 3D-printed orthopedic one-third tubular plates and cortical screws

Aim: 3D printing is a growing technology with promising applications in orthopedic surgery. However, the utilization of 3D-printed surgical implants has not been fully explored. Materials & methods: One-third tubular plates and cortical screws were printed via fused deposition modeling using four materials: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, carbon fiber-reinforced polylactic acid, polycarbonate and polyether ether ketone. Plates were analyzed with three-point bending and torque testing, and screws underwent torque, shear and pullout testing. Results: Two-factor Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) demonstrated several significant differences between mechanical profiles for different materials and between designs. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that desktop 3D printers can print biocompatible materials to replicate surgical implant designs at a low cost. However, current materials and structures do not approximate the properties of stainless-steel implants.