The Use of 3D-Printed Custom-Made Implants as an Attractive Potential Alternative to the Treatment of Segmental Bone Loss in Foot and Ankle.

The treatment of segmental tibial and ankle bone loss after radical surgery for chronic osteomyelitis is one of the most challenging problems encountered by orthopaedic surgeons. Open tibia and ankle fractures occur with an incidence of 3.4 per 100,000 and 1.6 per 100,000, respectively [[1]] and have a high propensity to lead to the development of fracture-related infection with associated chronic osteomyelitis. However, compared to the more commonly used technique of bone transport with external fixation, no complications (including non-union, stress, or refracture at the bone regeneration site or pin tract infections) have been observed. [Extracted from the article]