Researchers of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens uses 3-dimensional printed talar prosthesis to save the foot of a bone tumour patient

Ewing’s sarcomam, a malignant bone tumour, is extremely rare in the foot which often leads to below the knee amputations. Only a few cases of successful limb-salvage surgery having been reported. Researchers of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens now published a successful case of a 30-year-old woman with an Ewing’s sarcoma of the talus who underwent total talectomy and replacement of the entire talus with a custom-made 3-dimensional printed talar prosthesis.

The research team used an Electron Beam Melting 3D printer of Implantcast GmbH, Buxtehude, Germany to print a titanium implant based on computed tomography data. After the surgery was successfully performed, the team reported that at the latest follow-up examination, 3.5 years after implementation, the patient had no pain and could walk unsupported barefoot.

Source: Papagelopoulos, P. J., Sarlikiotis, T., Vottis, C. T., Agrogiannis, G., Kontogeorgakos, V. A., & Savvidou, O. D. (2019). Total Talectomy and Reconstruction Using a 3-dimensional Printed Talus Prosthesis for Ewing’s Sarcoma: A 3.5-Year Follow-up. Orthopedics.