Can Preoperative 3D Printing Change Surgeon's Operative Plan for Distal Tibia Fracture?

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to determine if 3D printing can affect surgeon's selection of plate for distal tibia fracture surgery and to find out whether orthopedic surgeons consider this technology necessary and would use it in their practice. A total of 102 orthopedic surgeons were asked to choose anatomically contoured locking plates among 5 most commonly used types for one simple and one complex distal tibia fracture based on X-ray and CT images. Next, they were provided real-size 3D printed models of the same fractures, allowed to apply each of the 5 plates to these models, and asked if they would change their choice of plate. A 10-point numeric rating scale was provided to measure the extent of the help that 3D printing provided on preoperative planning. Finally, we asked the surgeons if they w

SUBMITTER: Kang HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6388342 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature