[Internal fixation surgery planning for complex tibial plateau fracture based on digital design and 3D printing].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the application of 3D printing and digital technology in preoperative assessment and planning of internal fixation surgery for complex tibial plateau fracture.


METHODS
Complex tibial plateau fractures and commonly used plates for tibial plateau were imaged using computed tomography (CT) to reconstruct the 3D fracture and plate models. The 3D models were used to perform virtual reduction and preoperative planning of internal fixation surgery with the most appropriate plates assisted by the 3D library of plates. According to the optimal plan, the 3D physical models of tibial plateau fractures and plates were 3D printed to simulate internal fixation operation. The effects of internal fixation were compared between the virtual surgery and the simulated surgery based on the 3D models.


RESULTS
The effects of internal fixation in the simulated surgery based on the 3D models were consistent with those of the virtual surgery. No significant difference was found in the screw length between the two surgeries.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of 3D printing and digital design can improve the effects of internal fixation for complex tibial plateau fractures.
Department of Anatomy, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Biomechanics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.E-mail: tianjixuanying@163.com.
Huajun
H
Huang
Guodong
G
Zhang
Hanbin
H
Ouyang
Yang
Y
Yang
ZhangLin
Z
Wu
Jing
J
Xu
Pusheng
P
Xie
Wenhua
W
Huang
D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D050723:Fractures, Bone; D006801:Humans; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed