Three-Dimensional-Planned Patient-Specific Guides for Scaphoid Reconstruction: A Comparative Study of Primary and Revision Nonunion Cases

Background: Scaphoid reconstruction after an established non- or malunion is challenging and recent developments have shown the feasibility to reconstruct it with 3D-planned and -printed patient-specific instrumentation. Methods: Our study compared the clinical outcome of computer assisted 3D-reconstructions of the scaphoid using patient-specific guides for primary and revision reconstructions of scaphoid nonunion regarding clinical outcome. Therefore, 39 patients with primary scaphoid nonunion or malunion and 15 patients with nonunion or malunion after a previous operative treatment were treated with patient-specific guides and followed up for a mean of 10.5 months. The consolidation was assessed with a CT-scan, and the time to consolidation was recorded. Pain level, satisfaction, wrist range of motion, and grip strength were measured and compared. Results: The wrist range of motion and grip strength of the two groups were similar, except for the wrist extension, which was significantly reduced in the revision group. Consolidation was observed in 36/39 patients (92%) in the primary group and in 13/15 patients (87%) in the revision group. Our results showed similar clinical results postoperatively between primary reconstructions and revision surgery. Conclusions: The use of 3D-planned and -printed patient-specific instrumentation proves to be similarly effective in revision surgeries for the reconstruction of the scaphoid as it is in primary surgeries.