The malunion of distal radius fracture: Corrective osteotomy through planning with prototyping in 3D printing

Abstract

Introduction: Distal radius fractures (DRF) are among the most frequent in the body. About one third of these fractures can result in malunion with restriction of movement and pain in the wrist, the treatment in these cases consists of corrective osteotomy of the deformity. Due to its three-dimensional (3D) complexity, careful preoperative planning is a fundamental step in correction. The prototyping from the 3D reconstruction of the computed tomography of the affected wrist, allows the real understanding of the deformity.

Methods: Patients with malunion of the distal radius with indication for surgical treatment, from December 2019, were included in the group of corrective osteotomies through planning with prototyping in 3D printing. The postoperative functional outcome was assessed by the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (DASH) and visual analogue scale (VAS). Radiographic data including radial inclination, volar tilt and joint step were recorded from standard posteroanterior and lateral radiographic views.

Results: A total of 9 patients were included. The mean age was 47 years. The average postoperative DASH value of the patients was 24.9 and VAS was 3.6. Radiographically, the palmar tilt had an average improvement of 25.22°, and the radial inclination had an average improvement of 2°.

Conclusion: Corrective osteotomy through planning with prototyping in 3D printing is an effective method of treating symptomatic distal radius malunions. The possibility of performing the osteotomy in a 3D model, simulating the surgery, making the procedure more predictable.

Keywords: Radius deformity; Radius fracture complications; Three-dimensional printing; X-ray tomography.