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New talus replacement surgery uses 3-D printing technology
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According to Mark Myerson, MD, director of The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center in Boston, use of a talus replacement that is tailored to individual patient’s anatomy by using 3-D technology can provide a “life-changing experience” for patients.
“The final result is truly unbelievable, the mobility it affords the patient, enhancing the quality of life,” Myerson, said in a press release from Mercy Medical Center. “I have been practicing orthopedic surgery of the foot and ankle for 32 years and it is rare that something like this comes along that help patients in this way.”
According to the release, 3-D printing technology provided by 4Web Medical is used to create the new talus. Patients who receive a 3-D printed talus replacement reportedly may regain up to 75% of normal ankle function.
“This is not an ankle replacement,” Myerson said in the release. “An ankle replacement may be appropriate for a patient with ankle arthritis, but it cannot be done with patients with avascular necrosis of the talus.”
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