Three dimensional printing patient specific cutting guides for Pes cavus midfoot osteotomy-a retrospective cohort comparative study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Rigid midfoot pes cavus deformities present complex surgical challenges.
• Conventional manual osteotomy techniques may lack precision and lead to suboptimal outcomes.
• Patient-specific cutting guides (PSCGs) offer a potential solution for enhanced surgical accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical efficacy of 3D-printed PSCGs versus conventional manual techniques for correcting rigid midfoot pes cavus deformities.
• To evaluate radiographic and functional outcomes, as well as surgical metrics, between the two techniques.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 40 patients (80 feet) undergoing Cole osteotomy.
• Stratification into two matched groups: manual osteotomy (n=20) and PSCG-assisted (n=20).
• Analysis of radiographic parameters, functional scores (AOFAS, SF-36), operative time, and fluoroscopy frequency.

Main Results:

• PSCG group showed significantly better Meary's and TMI angle correction with enhanced consistency.
• Superior AOFAS and SF-36 scores were observed in the PSCG group.
• PSCG-assisted surgery resulted in shorter operative time (36% reduction) and less fluoroscopy (77% reduction).

Conclusions:

• 3D-printed PSCGs enable precise and efficient correction of complex midfoot deformities.
• This technology offers a safe, reproducible alternative to conventional methods, minimizing radiation exposure.
• PSCGs improve functional outcomes and surgical efficiency in treating pes cavus deformities.