3D-printed personalised prostheses for bone defect repair and reconstruction following resection of metacarpal giant cell tumours

BACKGROUND: Conventional surgical treatment for metacarpal giant cell tumours (GCTs) includes lesion scraping followed by bone grafting or bone cement filling and en bloc resection followed by repair and reconstruction using a vascularised bone flap. However, these methods have inherent shortcomings, including a high postoperative recurrence rate and poor mechanical stability. 3D-printing techniques are increasingly being applied in medicine, and 3D-printed personalised prostheses have achieved good clinical effects in orthopaedic repair and reconstruction. We aimed to investigate the clinical effects of 3D-printed personalised prostheses for bone defect repair and reconstruction following resection of metacarpal GCTs. METHODS: Three patients with metacarpal GCTs were examined in a retrospective cohort study. Through preoperative planning, a 3D-printed personalised prosthesis was designed and created for bone defect repair and reconstruction after tumour resection. Prosthesis fit, limb function, pain on the affected side, and the occurrence of complications were evaluated postoperatively. RESULTS: Postoperative X-ray examination revealed a satisfactory fit of the 3D-printed prosthesis in terms of bone defect size and overall metacarpal shape, as well as good transverse and longitudinal metacarpal arches. The patients also exhibited good function in the affected limb, with good flexion and extension functions in the carpal, metacarpophalangeal, and interphalangeal joints, plus the absence of obvious pain, tumour recurrence, and complications such as pathologic fractures and prosthetic loosening. CONCLUSIONS: When using a 3D-printed personalised prosthesis for bone defect repair and reconstruction following resection of metacarpal GCTs, a good fit with the bone defect can be achieved during prosthetic installation when preoperative planning and design have been adequately performed. Therefore, three-dimensionally printed personalised prostheses can serve as an effective method for the treatment of metacarpal GCTs.