“3D printed titanium pseudo-prosthesis for the treatment of a tumoral bone defect”

Abstract Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a proliferative disease of histiocytic cells that rarely affects adults. Different therapeutic options have been used in the treatment of this condition depending on the severity of the disease. However, the management of LCH is often controversial when a resection with clean margins is not achieved. We present a 37-year-old male who was diagnosed with LCH affecting the middle third of the clavicle. The patient was subjected to a wide resection of the lesion creating a large bone defect. The reconstruction was then performed using a 3-D printed porous pseudo-prosthesis (Ti6AL4V) which was fixed using an anatomical clavicular plate (Depuy-Synthes, Raynham, MA, USA) and locking screws. The implant trabeculae were filled with bioactive bone graft substitute (GlassBONETM, Noraker, France). After two years of follow-up the patient was pain free, had a full range of movement, and scored 100 on the Constant Scale and 2.5 points on the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand score (DASH). Moreover, in this case, the implantation of the 3-D printed pseudo-prosthesis avoided the use of adjuvant therapies such as radiotherapy. The use of a 3-D printed pseudo-prosthesis achieved an excellent clinical and functional outcome in the treatment of a large bone defect, following a resection of a LCH of the clavicle. 3-D printed pseudo-prostheses could be useful instruments for the treatment of bone defects following large bone resections in musculoskeletal tumors.