BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of malunited diaphyseal fractures of the forearm is one of the most difficult treatments due to its complicated structure. Widespread usage of Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data of 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) and 3D printing can make estimating the true plane of the deformity easy. METHODS: A 21-year-old man with limited supination due to left forearm nonunion deformity initially treated by locking plate fixation was referred to our hospital. We evaluated the deformity by superimposing the mirror image bone model of the contralateral normal bone onto a model of the affected bone and 3D real full-scale bone model. RESULTS: The patient underwent a manual corrective osteotomy according to our planning. He had satisfactory improvement of his symptoms with no complications. CONCLUSIONS: We postulated that our simple preoperative simulation and manual osteotomy with the aid of 3D CT reconstruction and 3D real full-scale bone model fit in the clinical practice as a recent trend.
BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of malunited diaphyseal fractures of the forearm is one of the most difficult treatments due to its complicated structure. Widespread usage of Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data of 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) and 3D printing can make estimating the true plane of the deformity easy. METHODS: A 21-year-old man with limited supination due to left forearm nonunion deformity initially treated by locking plate fixation was referred to our hospital. We evaluated the deformity by superimposing the mirror image bone model of the contralateral normal bone onto a model of the affected bone and 3D real full-scale bone model. RESULTS: The patient underwent a manual corrective osteotomy according to our planning. He had satisfactory improvement of his symptoms with no complications. CONCLUSIONS: We postulated that our simple preoperative simulation and manual osteotomy with the aid of 3D CT reconstruction and 3D real full-scale bone model fit in the clinical practice as a recent trend.