Computer-assisted ankle joint arthroplasty using bio-engineered autografts.

Bio-engineered cartilage has made substantial progress over the last years. Preciously few cases, however, are known where patients were actually able to benefit from these developments. In orthopaedic surgery, there are two major obstacles between in-vitro cartilage engineering and its clinical application: successful integration of an autologuous graft into a joint and the high cost of individually manufactured implants. Computer Assisted Surgery techniques can potentially address both issues at once by simplifying the therapy, allowing pre-fabrication of bone grafts according to a shape model, individual operation planning based on CT images and providing optimal accuracy during the intervention. A pilot study was conducted for the ankle joint, comprising a simplified rotational symmetric bone surface model, a dedicated planning software and a complete cycle of treatment on one cadaveric human foot. The outcome was analysed using CT and MRI images; the post-operative CT was further segmented and registered with the implant shape to prove the feasibility of computer assisted arthroplasty using bio-engineered autografts.