Hemostatic effect of 3D-printed hip fixators in children with retinoblastoma after intra-arterial chemotherapy: a non-randomized controlled trial

This study aimed to investigate the benefits of using three-dimensional (3D)-printed hip joint fixators after intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) by inguinal femoral artery puncture in children with retinoblastoma. Overall, 79 cases of retinoblastoma who had undergone IAC through the femoral artery were selected and divided into an observation group of 50 cases and an intervention group of 29 cases according to the hemostasis method employed. The patients in the observation group were treated with sandbags for hemostasis, while those in the intervention group were given 3D-printed hip joint fixators to help immobilize the hips and sandbags. We used the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability scale (FLACC), the Wong-Baker Facial Expression Pain Scale, and self-made questionnaires to evaluate demographics, clinical characteristics, pain, complications, satisfaction, and other indicators of the two groups. There were no significant differences in general data, such as age, gender, height, weight, manual compression time, diseased eye, tumor stage, platelet count, puncture times, pain distribution, and total score, between the groups. There was a positive correlation between FLACC pain and the total Wong-Baker pain score (r = 0.599, p < 0.001). During the 2 h of sandbag compression, sandbags were dislodged in the observation group as many as ten times, which was significantly higher than that in the intervention group (up to four times; p < 0.001). This was correlated with a very high score of satisfaction (92.34 ± 19.96 out of 100). The 3D-printed hip fixator is easy to operate, has a low incidence of complications, and saves time and effort. It effectively reduces the incidence of sandbags falling off after IAC in children with retinoblastoma and does not increase the patient's pain. It is a method that could improve hemostasis in young children undergoing IAC by inguinal femoral artery.