RESUMO
La Impresión 3D es una tecnología emergente utilizada cada vez más en medicina. En los países en vías de desarrollo, donde las fracturas por motocicletas y automóviles se encuentran en aumento, la disponibilidad de fijadores externos para el manejo de fracturas abiertas es un problema frecuente. La impresión 3D puede ser una alternativa económica e igualmente confiable a los dispositivos tradicionales elaborados con acero o titanio. El objetivo de este trabajo es mostrar la experiencia con el uso de Impresión 3D y su aplicación en el manejo clínico de fracturas abiertas diafisiarias de tibia. Se realizó un estudio pre-experimental y prospectivo. Se incluyeron 14 pacientes con fracturas de tibia AO/ASIF 42A, 42B y 42C tratados con un fijador externo con rótulas elaboradas con Impresión 3D como medida de Control de Daños en Ortopedia desde su ingreso hasta su resolución definitiva. Todos los pacientes fueron de sexo masculino, con un promedio de edad 23,16 años con 50% entre 20-23 años. Las fracturas fueron 42,85% tipo 42A, 37,71% 42B y 21,42% 42C. El 78,57% de las fracturas fueron ocasionadas por motocicletas: 57,14% grado II según Gustilo y Anderson, un 28,57% grado III y 14,28% grado I. El 37,71% eran politraumatizados. Ninguno de los pacientes presentó complicaciones como pérdida de la reducción, aflojamiento de las rótulas, ruptura o fatiga de las rótulas ni fatiga de la barra. La impresión 3D demostró ser una herramienta y alternativa útil en el manejo agudo de fracturas abiertas diafisiarias de tibia(AU)
3D Printing is an emerging technology used more and more in medicine. In developing countries, where motorcycle and automobile fractures are on the rise, the availability of external fixators for the management of open fractures is a frequent problem. 3D printing can be a cheap and equally reliable alternative to traditional devices made of steel or titanium. The objective of this work is to show the experience with the use of 3D Printing and its application in the clinical management of open diaphyseal fractures of the tibia. A pre-experimental and prospective study was made. 14 patients with AO/ASIF tibia fractures 42A, 42B and 42C treated with an external fixator with 3D-printed ball-caps as a Damage Control measure in Orthopedics from admission to final resolution were included. All patients were male, with an average age of 23,16 years, 50% between 20-23 years. The fractures were 42,85% type 42A, 37,71% 42B and 21,42% 42C. 78,57% of the fractures were caused by motorcycles: 57,14% grade II according to Gustilo and Anderson, 28,57% grade III and 14.28% grade I. 37,71% were polytraumatized. None of the patients had complications such as loss of reduction, loosening of the patellas, rupture or fatigue of the patellas, or rod fatigue. 3D printing proved to be a useful tool and alternative in the acute management of open diaphyseal fractures of the tibia(AU)
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Adolescente , Fraturas Expostas , Acidentes de Trânsito , Registros Médicos , Coleta de DadosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: External fixation is a mainstream limb reconstruction technique, most often used after a traumatic injury. Due to the high rates of trauma in developing countries, external fixation devices are often utilized for immediate fracture stabilization and soft tissue repair. Proper external fixation treatment too often still fails to be adopted in these regions due to the high cost and trauma complexity. A novel, inexpensive, unilateral fixator was constructed using 3D printed clamps and other readily available supporting components. ASTM standard F1541 tests were used to assess the biomechanical properties of this novel external fixator. METHODS: Applicable sections of ASTM standard F1541 were used to determine the biomechanical properties of the novel external fixator. 3D printed clamps modeled using SolidWorks and printed with chopped carbon fibers using a fuse deposition modeling (FDM) based 3D printer by Markforged (Boston, MA) were used. This study included 3 different testing configurations: axial compression, anterior-posterior (AP) bending, and medial-lateral (ML) bending. Using the novel unilateral fixator with 3D printed clamps previously sterilized by autoclave, an input load was applied at a rate of 20 N/s, starting at 0 N via a hydraulic MTS tester Model 359. Force and deformation data were collected at a sampling rate of 30 Hz. There was a load limit of 750 N, or until there was a maximum vertical deformation of 6 mm. Also, 4 key dimensions of the 3D printed clamps were measured pre and post autoclave: diameter, width, height and length. RESULTS: The novel external fixator had axial compression, AP and ML bending rigidities of 246.12 N/mm (σ = 8.87 N/mm), 35.98 N/mm (σ = 2.11 N/mm) and 39.60 N/mm (σ =2.60 N/mm), respectively. The 3D printed clamps shrunk unproportionally due to the autoclaving process, with the diameter, width, height and length dimensions shrinking by 2.6%, 0.2%, 1.7% and 0.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, the biomechanical properties of the novel fixator with 3D printed clamps assessed in this study were comparable to external fixators that are currently being used in clinical settings. While the biomechanics were comparable, the low cost and readily available components of this design meets the need for low cost external fixators in developing countries that current clinical options could not satisfy. However, further verification and validation routines to determine efficacy and safety must be conducted before this novel fixator can be clinically deployed. Also, the material composition allowed for the clamps to maintain the appropriate shape with minimal dimensional shrinkage that can be accounted for in clamp design.
