On a desk of less than two square meters, a 3D printer is running at high speed. The hot sprinklers move back and forth, and the raw materials are piled up layer by layer. After a few hours, it will print out a fine model of the pelvis, exactly the same size and shape as the live pelvis.
This is not a laboratory, let alone a factory, but a 3D printing laboratory of Liu Zongchao, director of the Trauma Group of the Department of Orthopedic Trauma Of the Affiliated Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University. These printed bone models will be used to demonstrate preoperative simulated surgery to Mr. Chen with a comminuted pelvic fracture.
Mr. Chen, 50, accidentally slipped off a 2-meter-high escalator while working at a construction site, resulting in a comminuted fracture of the pelvis and distal to the radius. 2 Before the operation, Liu Zongchao's postdoctoral surgical team, using 3D printing, made surgical planning for Mr. Chen, and on August 28, 2021, lasting 3 hours, successfully completed the multi-site fracture surgery of "right pelvic acetabular comminuted fracture + right side distal radius comminuted fracture incision reduction and internal fixation + distal radius comminuted fracture closure reduction external fixation stent fixation surgery". The day after the operation, Mr. Chen's injured part was able to move freely, and he said excitedly: "I really didn't expect to recover so quickly!" ”
Not only Mr. Chen, but in the past six months, the Trauma Group of the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma of the Affiliated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Southwest Medical University has applied 3D technology to help several 10 patients with complex fractures caused by violence to recover quickly.
Comminuted fracture of the femur
Mr. Liang, 52, fell from the second floor, resulting in a comminuted fracture of the right shoulder joint and bilateral femoral condyle. Before the operation, the surgical reduction and fixation operations were simulated by a 1:1 3D printed model, and the pre-designed steps were unfolded during the operation, the fracture was well reduced, and the internally implanted steel plate was fully attached. It lasted 3 hours and the surgery was successfully completed.
After a hundred-year-old woman fell in the toilet, she suffered a crushing fracture of the femur rotor. Due to the extreme instability and difficulty of reduction of such fractures, it is easy to have fractures misaligned again, internal fixation failure, fracture non-union, etc. after surgery, coupled with the patient's ultra-high age, the risk of anesthesia and surgery is multiplied. Similarly, after 3D printing preoperative planning, the surgical time is shortened by about 1/3. A week after the operation, the old man can get up under the support and move on the ground.
There are also similar multiple patients
A 15-year-old middle school student who fell to his right elbow while playing basketball, resulting in fractures of the supracylar and intercondylar bones of the humerus;
Uncle Wang, 68, was hit by a car while crossing the road, resulting in a crushing fracture of the hip;
Mr. Huang, 63, suffered a fracture of his right femur due to a car accident injury
……
With the help of 3D printing technology, it can be moved the next day after surgery.
Medical guidance: Liu Zongchao, Director of the Trauma Group of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University
Traditional surgery takes a long time, is traumatic, has a lot of blood loss, and the patient recovers slowly.
3D printing technology can make complex fracture surgery both "precise" and "minimally invasive".
Advantages of 3D printing technology
1. With the help of 3D printing technology, a 1:1 3D model is constructed based on the patient's CT three-dimensional reconstruction data, which can accurately understand the type of fracture and provide patients and doctors with tactile and visual experience;
2. Be able to rehearse the intraoperative steps in advance, complete simulated surgery in vitro, and tailor the best treatment plan for patients with high accuracy;
3. The operation time is significantly shortened, and the surgical site can be moved 2-3 days after surgery, and early functional exercise can be carried out, which is more conducive to functional rehabilitation.
Text/Figure Ma Yanping Wang Fan