Context: Multiple high-energy injuries and complex, pelvic acetabular fractures are challenging injuries. With the help of a 1:1-sized solid model of the human body, 3D printing technology can achieve personalized customization of the surgical methods.
Objective: The study intended to compare the clinical efficacy of three-dimensional (3D)-printing-assisted and traditional, open reduction and internal fixation in the treatment of complex pelvic acetabular fractures.
Design: The research team conducted a randomized controlled trial and also provided a case study for one participant in the intervention group.
Setting: The study took place at the First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University in Jingzhou, Hubei, China.
Participants: Participants were 48 patients with complex pelvic acetabular fractures at the hospital between January and December 2018.
Interventions: The research team randomly divided participants into two groups, with 24 participants in each group: (1) the 3D group, which received treatment in which surgeons used 3D-printing technology for preoperative planning, and (2) the routine group, which received routine treatment.
Outcome measures: The research team measured: (1) perioperative conditions, including operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative drainage volume; (2) fracture reduction quality; and (3) a case study of a postoperative imaging examination.
Results: The 3D group's operation time (P = .001), intraoperative blood loss (P = .001), and postoperative drainage volume (P = .001) were significantly lower than those of routine group. According to the Matta imaging standards, the fracture reduction quality for the 3D group was excellent for 16 participants (66.66%), good for four participants (16.67%), and fair for four participants (16.67%), with the total quality rate at 83.33% for 20 participants. For the routine group, the quality was excellent for eight participants (33.33%), good for four participants (16.67%), and fair for 12 participants (50.00%), with the excellent and good rates at 50.00% for 12 participants. The 3D group's fracture reduction quality was significantly higher than that of the routine group (P < .05).
Conclusions: 3D printing technology in the treatment of complex pelvic acetabular fractures can be helpful for surgeons to understand a fracture's characteristics; formulate an optimized and accurate, personalized surgical plan before an operation; improve the reduction's safety and accuracy; shorten the operation time; reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications; and improve clinical efficacy.