Intra-Articular Osteotomy of the Distal Radius with the Use of Inexpensive In-House 3D Printed Surgical Guides and Arthroscopy: A Case Report

JBJS Case Connect. 2020 Jan-Mar;10(1):e0424. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.18.00424.

Abstract

Case: An 18-year-old man complained about persistent wrist pain and functional impairment due to intra-articular malunion, 1 year after volar plating of a distal radius fracture. We designed and produced patient-specific surgical guides (PSSGs) in-house with a benchtop three-dimensional printer to perform an arthroscopy-assisted intra-articular osteotomy of the radial column without dorsal arthrotomy. The procedure was performed without complications. After 1 year, there was no osteoarthritis and the patient's wrist function was practically normalized.

Conclusions: Virtual surgical planning, design, and production of PSSGs were feasible without consultation of an external medical engineering company and without dorsal arthrotomy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Arthroscopy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Osteotomy / methods*
  • Patient-Specific Modeling*
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional
  • Radius Fractures / surgery*
  • Reoperation
  • Wrist Injuries / surgery*