Treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fractures with precise screw placement into sustentaculum tali based on virtual and simulation techniques
10.3760/cma.j.cn115530-20200407-00237
- VernacularTitle:基于虚拟和仿真技术的载距突精准置钉在治疗跟骨关节内骨折中的应用
- Author:
Bing WANG
1
;
Aixiang ZHU
;
Fenglei QIAO
;
Ce SHI
;
Chun YANG
;
Hang SHI
;
Yachao SHENG
;
Dawei ZHU
;
Yucheng ZHU
Author Information
1. 徐州医科大学附属宿迁医院骨科，江苏省宿迁市 223800
- From:
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma
2020;22(7):610-617
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To evaluate the clinical application of virtual and simulation techniques to aid pre-operative design for precise screw placement into the sustentaculum tali in the treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fractures.Methods:From January 2016 to January 2019, 68 patients were treated at Department of Orthopaedics, Suqian Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University for intra-articular calcaneal fractures of Sanders types Ⅱ-Ⅳ. According to different designs of screw placement into the sustentaculum tali, they were assigned into a control group (38 cases and 42 feet) and an observation group (30 cases and 33 feet). There were 24 males and 14 females with an age of 39.3 years±8.8 years in the control group. There were 17 males and 13 females with an age of 42.0 years ± 7.6 years in the observation group. The control group was given a routine placement design based on the X-ray and MSCT scanning images of the injured feet. In the observation group, a Mimics model was first constructed using the X-ray and MSCT scanning images of the normal or less injured feet for further virtual screw placement into the sustentaculum tali on a 3D printed model. The disparity was investigated between the parameters designed and the actual values in both groups. The 2 groups were compared in terms of average placements, screw distribution, placement accuracy, placement time and Maryland scores of foot function one year after operation.Results:There were no significant differences in the preoperative general data between the 2 groups, showing comparability ( P>0.05). The design parameters and actual values in the control group were respectively as follows: 17.7°±3.2° versus 15.1°±5.9° in upward oblique angle, 20.3°±2.1° versus 16.2°±6.8° in backward oblique angle, and 47.9 mm ± 3.8 mm versus 45.4 mm ± 4.2 mm in length of screw path, showing significant differences ( P< 0.05). The design parameters and actual values in the observation group were as follows: 16.5°±3.5° versus 17.1°±3.9° in upward oblique angle, 20.9°±4.3° and 19.6°±3.8° in backward oblique angle, and 48.1 mm ± 3.1 mm versus 47.3 mm ± 3.8 mm in length of screw path, showing insignificant differences ( P>0.05). The average screw placements into the sustenta culum tali in the observation group (1.6±0.5) were significantly more than those in the control group (1.2±0.4). Compared with the control group, the observation group had a higher rate of placement of 2 screws[60.6 % (20/23) versus 16.7% (7/42)], higher accuracy of placement [94.3% (50/53) versus 77.6% (38/49)], less placement time for each screw (9.6 mm±3.9 min versus 13.2 mm±4.7 mm), less placement time for each foot (15.6 mm±4.8 min versus 20.5 mm±3.8 mm), and higher Maryland scores at one year after operation (94.2±6.5 versus 89.7±6.9). All the above comparisons were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Application of virtual and simulation techniques to aid pre-operative design for precise screw placement into the sustentaculum tali can improve the outcomes of intra-articular calcaneal fractures, because it increases the number of screws placed, enhances quality of screw placement, shortens operation time, and thus facilitates functional recovery of the injured foot.
