ObjectiveTo investigate the three-dimensional structure of proximal femoral trabeculae, analyze the formation mechanism, and explore its relationship with the occurrence and treatment of proximal femoral fractures.MethodsSix cadaver adult femur specimens were harvested and the gross specimens containing both trabecular system and cortical bone were established by hand scraping. All samples were scanned by micro-CT and the CT images were input into Mimics18.0 software to establish the digital proximal femoral model containing trabecular structure. The spatial distribution of trabecular system was observed, and the relations between trabecular bone and the proximal femur surface and related anatomical landmarks were analyzed in digital models.ResultsThe gross specimen and digital models of trabecular system were successfully established. The trabecular system of proximal femur could be divided into two groups: the horizontal and vertical trabecular. The horizontal trabecular arose from the base of greater trochanter, gone along the direction of femoral neck, and terminated at the center of femoral head. The vertical trabecular began from the base of lesser trochanter and femoral calcar, gone radically upward, and reached the femoral head. The average distance of the horizontal trabecular to the greater trochanter was 22.66 mm (range, 17.3-26.8 mm). In the femoral head, the horizontal trabecula and the vertical trabecula were fused into a kind of sphere, and the distances from the horizontal trabecula to the surface of the femoral head vary in different sections. The average distance of trabecular ball to the femoral head surface was 6.88 mm (range, 6.3-7.2 mm) in sagittal plane, 6.32 mm (range, 5.8-7.6 mm) in coronal plane, and 6.30 mm (range, 5.6-6.3 mm) in cross section. The vertical and horizontal trabeculae intersect obliquely, and the average angle of horizontal trabecular and vertical one was 140.67° (range, 129-150°).ConclusionThe trabecular system exhibits a unique spatial configuration, which is the main internal support of proximal femur. Restoration of the integrity of trabecular structure is the important goal of proximal femoral fractures.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of using titanium alloy trabecular bone three-dimensional (3D) printed artificial vertebral body in treating cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 45 patients with cervical OPLL admitted between September 2019 and August 2021 and meeting the selection criteria. All patients underwent anterior cervical corpectomy and decompression, interbody bone graft fusion, and titanium plate internal fixation. During operation, 21 patients in the study group received titanium alloy trabecular bone 3D printed artificial vertebral bodies, while 24 patients in the control group received titanium cages. There was no significant difference in baseline data such as gender, age, disease duration, affected segments, or preoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Neck Disability Index (NDI), vertebral height, and C2-7 Cobb angle (P>0.05). Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and occurrence of complications were recorded for both groups. Preoperatively and at 3 and 12 months postoperatively, the functionality and symptom relief were assessed using JOA scores, VAS scores, and NDI evaluations. The vertebral height and C2-7 Cobb angle were detected by imaging examinations and the implant subsidence and intervertebral fusion were observed. Results The operation time and incidence of complications were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (P<0.05), while the difference in intraoperative blood loss between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05). All patients were followed up 12-18 months, with the follow-up time of (14.28±4.34) months in the study group and (15.23±3.54) months in the control group, showing no significant difference (t=0.809, P=0.423). The JOA score, VAS score, and NDI of the two groups improved after operation, and further improved at 12 months compared to 3 months, with significant differences (P<0.05). At each time point, the study group exhibited significantly higher JOA scores and improvement rate compared to the control group (P<0.05); but there was no significantly difference in VAS score and NDI between the two groups (P>0.05). Imaging re-examination showed that the vertebral height and C2-7 Cobb angle of the two groups significantly increased at 3 and 12 months after operation (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between 3 and 12 months after operation (P>0.05). At each time point, the vertebral height and C2-7 Cobb angle of the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05), and the implant subsidence rate was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in intervertebral fusion rate between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared to traditional titanium cages, the use of titanium alloy trabecular bone 3D-printed artificial vertebral bodies for treating cervical OPLL results in shorter operative time, fewer postoperative complications, and lower implant subsidence rates, making it superior in vertebral reconstruction.