A team of researchers led by Dr. Frank Ijpma, PhD, of the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands shared results from a case series of 10 acetabular fracture patients who were treated using a "fast-track" surgical procedure. The group found that their approach, which involves 3D virtual surgical planning and manufacturing patient-specific osteosynthesis plates and drilling guides, was feasible and yielded good clinical outcomes.
"Fast-track personalized surgical treatment could open a new era for the treatment of complex injuries," the authors wrote.
Optimally reconstructing the articular surface during acetabular fracture surgery lowers the risk of osteoarthritis and subsequent need for total hip arthroplasty, according to the researchers.