A Novel Patient-Specific Three-Dimensional Printing Template Based on External Fixation for Pelvic Screw Insertion

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>(1) Background: To investigate the clinical effect of the novel patient-specific 3D printing templates based on external fixation for pelvic screw insertion. (2) Methods: We retrospectively studied 8 patients with pelvic fractures who were treated using this novel template from July 2017 to July 2018. During the operation, the screws were inserted with the aid of the template. The operative time per screw, radiation exposure time, and accuracy of the screw insertions as evaluated by post-operative CT scans were analyzed statistically and compared with previous outcomes using the fluoro-navigation technique. (3) Results: In the template group, a total of 9 pubis screws and 6 sacroiliac screws were inserted. The mean surgical time was 11.3 min/screw and the mean X-ray exposure time was 11.8 ± 3.9 s/screw. The mean deviation distance and angle between the actual and planned screw position was 2.6 ± 0.2 mm and 2.0 ± 0.3 degrees, and blood loss during the surgery was 12.2 ml/screw. No superficial and deep infections and no patient sustained recognized neurologic, vascular, or urologic injury occurred in the template group. The surgical time and X-ray exposure time was less than that in the fluoro-navigation group((P &lt; 0.05) (4) Conclusions: The patient-specific template based on external fixation can guide the insertion of the pelvic screw accurately, safely and invasively and significantly reduce operation and radiation exposure time.</jats:p>