Search

Objectives:  The main purpose of this study was to determine the reproducibility and accuracy of a three-dimensional (3D) bone model printed on a desktop 3D-printer based on fused deposition modelling (FDM) technology with polylactic acid (PLA) and the effect of autoclave sterilization on the printed models., Methods:  Computed tomographic images of the tibia were obtained from 10 feline cadavers, used to create a bone surface-rendering file and sent to the 3D printing software. Right and left tibias were each printed five times with the FDM desktop 3D printer using PLA plastic material. Plastic models and cadaveric bones were measured with a profile projector device at six predetermined landmarks. Plastic bones were then sterilized using an autoclave before being re-measured applying the same method. Analyses of printed model size reliability were conducted using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots., Results:  The ICC always showed an almost perfect agreement when comparing 3D-printed models issued from the same cadaveric bone. The ICC showed moderate agreement for one measurement and strong/perfect agreement for others when comparing a cadaveric bone with the corresponding 3D model. Concerning the comparison of the same 3D-printed model, before and after sterilization, ICC showed either strong or perfect agreement., Clinical Significance:  Rapid-prototyping with our FDM desktop 3D-printer using PLA was an accurate, a reproducible and a sterilization-compliant way to obtain 3D plastic models., Competing Interests: None., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Objectives:  This article aimed to describe olecranon fracture in dogs and cats and their stabilization with tension band wiring or plate osteosynthesis, and to evaluate complications associated with each technique., Methods:  Medical records of cats and dogs that had been surgically treated for olecranon fractures with either tension band wiring or plate osteosynthesis were retrospectively reviewed. The surgical technique, complications and long-term outcomes were assessed., Results:  Forty-one olecranon fractures were included. Fractures were articular, comminuted and open in 90, 31 and 27% of cases, respectively. Tension band wiring and plate osteosynthesis were performed in 22 and 19 fractures, respectively. Complications occurred more commonly after tension band wiring (74%) compared with plate osteosynthesis (27%) ( p  = 0.002) and these were probably related to it being used in comminuted fractures ( p  = 0.01) or to errors in technique. Minor complications included Kirschner wires migration ( n  = 5), pain ( n  = 3), osteomyelitis ( n  = 3), skin breakdown ( n  = 3) and seroma ( n  = 1). Implant failure requiring further fixation ( n  = 4) was observed only in the tension band wiring group. Other major complications included skin wound debridement and closure ( n  = 1) and chronic lameness requiring implant removal ( n  = 7). Long-term functional outcomes were excellent regardless of the technique used., Clinical Significance:  Plate osteosynthesis should be performed for olecranon fracture repair if technically feasible., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interests with regard to this manuscript., (Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.)