A management strategy for giant cell tumor of the metacarpal: A single-center series of 11 cases

3D-printed personalised prostheses for bone defect repair and reconstruction following resection of metacarpal giant cell tumours

Background

Conventional surgical treatment for metacarpal giant cell tumours (GCTs) includes lesion scraping followed by bone grafting or bone cement filling and en bloc resection followed by repair and reconstruction using a vascularised bone flap. However, these methods have inherent shortcomings, including a high postoperative recurrence rate and poor mechanical stability. 3D-printing techniques are increasingly being applied in medicine, and 3D-printed personalised prostheses have achieved good clinical effects in orthopaedic repair and reconstruction. We aimed to investigate the clinical effects of 3D-printed personalised prostheses for bone defect repair and reconstruction following resection of metacarpal GCTs.

Methods

Three patients with metacarpal GCTs were examined in a retrospective cohort study. Through preoperative planning, a 3D-printed personalised prosthesis was designed and created for bone defect repair and reconstruction after tumour resection. Prosthesis fit, limb function, pain on the affected side, and the occurrence of complications were evaluated postoperatively.

Results

Postoperative X-ray examination revealed a satisfactory fit of the 3D-printed prosthesis in terms of bone defect size and overall metacarpal shape, as well as good transverse and longitudinal metacarpal arches. The patients also exhibited good function in the affected limb, with good flexion and extension functions in the carpal, metacarpophalangeal, and interphalangeal joints, plus the absence of obvious pain, tumour recurrence, and complications such as pathologic fractures and prosthetic loosening.

Conclusions

When using a 3D-printed personalised prosthesis for bone defect repair and reconstruction following resection of metacarpal GCTs, a good fit with the bone defect can be achieved during prosthetic installation when preoperative planning and design have been adequately performed. Therefore, three-dimensionally printed personalised prostheses can serve as an effective method for the treatment of metacarpal GCTs.

Giant cell tumour of hand bones: outcomes of treatment

The purpose of this study was to report the incidence of giant cell tumour of the hand bones in an Asian population, document treatment options and report outcomes of treatment. Of 698 giant cell tumours of bone that underwent surgery between January 2011 and December 2020 at our institute, only 22 (3%) were in the hand. Fourteen occurred in the metacarpals, eight in the phalanges. Fifteen were primary tumours and seven had recurrent disease. Twenty lesions had an associated soft tissue component. Two patients treated for primary disease and one who had been treated for recurrence had local recurrence. Recurrence occurred in two of nine patients treated with curettage, one of three with resection and none of five with ray or digit amputation. Both curettage and resection/amputation are acceptable treatment options for the rare condition of giant cell tumour of bone in the hand, with a need to individualize treatment decisions based on the site and extent of disease to minimize treatment morbidity while maximizing disease control.Level of evidence: IV.