Fixation with a 3D printed individualized custom-made plate for elderly patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture: an analysis of short-term efficacy / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the short-term efficacy of fixation with a 3D printed individualized custom-made plate in the treatment of elderly patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture.Methods:Retrospectively analyzed were the 5 elderly patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture who had been treated by fixation with a 3D printed individualized custom-made plate from January 2022 to July 2022 at Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. There were 3 males and 2 females, aged 81, 86, 77, 91 and 87 years, respectively. One left and 4 right limbs were affected. Vancouver classification type B1 ( n=3), type B2 ( n=1), and type C ( n=1). The time from operation to injury was 5, 6, 10, 5 and 7 days, respectively. Preoperatively, the femur affected, prosthesis and individualized plate with a greater trochanteric hook, loop cable channel and bone-like trabecular microporous structure were custom-made by 3D printing according to 11 models. Virtual operations were simulated to formulate surgical protocols. The operation time, length of surgical incision, intraoperative blood loss and transfusion, hospital stay, hip function and complications at the last follow-up were recorded. Results:The 5 patients were followed up for 12, 7, 10, 3 and 6 months, respectively. There were no events of superficial incision or deep prosthesis infection. Respectively, the operation time was 1.8, 1.7, 2.3, 2.0 and 3.3 h; the length of surgical incision 31, 30, 38, 27 and 30 cm; the intraoperative bleeding volume 400, 300, 300, 500 and 600 mL; the length of hospital stay 8, 9, 15, 14 and 11 d. Four patients received intraoperative blood transfusion of 300, 900, 150 and 1, 050 mL, respectively. One patient died of a heart attack 3 months after discharge; another patient developed dyskinesia at the contralateral limb 3 months after discharge due to cerebral infarction and died of recurrent cerebral infarction 7 months after discharge. At the last follow-up, the Harris hip scores of 3 patients were 86, 77 and 69 points, respectively. None of the patients had complications like breakage or loosening of implants.Conclusion:In the treatment of elderly patients with periprosthetic femoral fracture, fixation with a 3D printed individualized custom-made plate may lead to fine limb function and good short-term curative efficacy.