[Translated article] Randomized clinical trial on the usefulness of 3D printing in intra-articular fractures of the distal radius.

Abstract

Objectives: We evaluated the utility of 3D printing technology for preoperative planning in the treatment of intra-articular fractures of the distal radius in relation to the improvement of surgical technique, radiological and clinical results.

Material and methods: A total of 30 patients with 2B and C fractures of the AO classification were operated on by a single surgeon with a volar plate, randomly divided into two groups, 15 of them with conventional planning (Rx and CT) and 15 adding a 3D model of the fracture and the previous simulation of the intervention. Simulation time, surgical time in minutes, radioscopy time in minutes, loss of material expressed in lost screws were recorded. Clinical evaluation based PRWE questionnaire and full radiographic analysis was done for all patients with a mean follow-up of 6 months by an independent, blinded observed.

Results: No statistically significant differences were observed in the PRWE questionnaire (p=0.22), nor were we observed differences in the radiological values, except in relation to the articular step (p=0.028), which represents statistical significance, but in both groups the median was of 0.0 (0.0-0.0). We also did not see statistically significant differences in surgical times (p=0.745), radioscopy (p=0.819) or in the loss of synthesis material (p=0.779).

Conclusions: 3D printing has not improved the parameters studied in relation to routinely operated patients.