The Innovation of 3D Printing for Preoperative Planning in Hip Preservation Surgery

This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the introduction of a 3D printed model into the pre and intra-operative planning for arthroscopic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) surgery. The RCT will look to place patients into one of two treatment groups: 1) conventional preoperative imaging (X-ray, CT, and MRI) only and 2) those that have had a 3D printed model created in addition to the conventional imaging.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Femoro Acetabular Impingement
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: 3D Print + Conventional imaging; Other: Conventional imaging

Detailed Description

In this study, we investigate the use of 3D models during pre and intra-operative planning could improve the success of hip arthroscopy and reduce the incidence of revision cases. By adding an adjunct to the common suite of pre-operative imaging modalities (X-ray, MRI and CT), we can change the surgeon's understanding of each patient's individual morphology with a tactile physical model. This study will compare the success of hip arthroscopy in patients with or without 3D printed models (in addition to traditional pre-operative imaging).

This will be a single-center, blinded observer, randomized controlled trial of 80 patients performed at the Halifax Infirmary, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Patients with cam-type FAI involved in the study will be approached by the surgeon, Dr. Ivan Wong, or a delegate regarding the study during a pre-operative visit. Following a detailed discussion of the risks/benefits/alternatives of this study, the patient will be provided with a copy of the informed consent to review, if they demonstrate an interest in the study. If the patient wishes to be enrolled in the study, the research team will obtain patient consent for the study according to the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) institutional protocols.

In the pre-operative period, there will be no additional time requirements for the participant, except for the informed consent process for the study. Routine X-ray radiographs, as well as a pre-operative MRI and CT scan, will be obtained for all subjects undergoing FAI surgery. The participants will not be exposed to any additional radiation. Subjects will complete a structured clinical examination conducted by a sports medicine fellowship-trained orthopaedic consultant. The patient will also complete pre-operative questionnaires.

Patients that have consented to the study will be randomized into two groups with a 50% chance of being in either group. Randomization will be done with a computer random number generator. Both groups will undergo routine pre-operative imaging but one group will also have a 3D print made from the 3D CT reconstruction. All patient groups will undergo hip arthroscopy for the treatment of their FAI.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Nova Scotia
    • Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H 2E1
      • 5955 Veterans' Memorial Lane Room 2106, VMB

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Radiological proven diagnosis of cam-type femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with advanced arthritis (Tonnis Grade III or Kellgren-Lawrence Grade III or IV or evidence of less than 2 mm of joint space, as determined by conventional radiographs.)
• Patients with 1cm2 (or greater) of cartilage delamination in the hip
• Patients with type III or IV heterotopic ossification
• Patients with avascular necrosis
• Patients who are unable to provide informed consent
• Patients who are undergoing revision hip arthroscopy
• Patients who are pregnant
• Patients who have the presence of local or systemic infection
• Patients with an inability to cooperate with and/or comprehend post-operative instructions
• Patients with nonvascular surgical sites (MRI proven)
• Patients with cancer

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 3D Print + Conventional imaging; Patients in this group allocation will receive a 3D reconstruction of their hip in addition to conventional preoperative imaging (X-ray, CT, and MRI) only for the use of pre-operative and intra-operative planning for their hip arthroscopy (FAI) procedure.	Other: 3D Print + Conventional imaging; This group will have a 3D reconstruction of their hip printed using a 3D printer so that the PI can use it in their pre and intra-operative planning along with traditional imaging.
Other: Conventional Imaging; Patients in this group allocation will receive conventional preoperative imaging (X-ray, CT, and MRI) only for the use of pre-operative and intra-operative planning for their hip arthroscopy (FAI) procedure.	Other: Conventional imaging; This group will have CT, MRI and X-Ray imaging completed so that the PI can use it in their pre and intra-operative planning.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measure of CAM resection	Our primary outcome for this study is the resection of cam impingement according to alpha-angle on post-operative anterior-posterior (AP) and frog leg X-ray views.	Change in Pre-op measurements compared to 2 weeks post-operatively
Measure of CAM resection	Our primary outcome for this study is the resection of cam impingement according to alpha-angle on post-operative anterior-posterior (AP) and frog leg X-ray views.	Change in Pre-op measurements compared to 6 months post-operatively
Measure of CAM resection	Our primary outcome for this study is the resection of cam impingement according to alpha-angle on post-operative anterior-posterior (AP) and frog leg X-ray views.	Change in Pre-op measurements compared to 24 months post-operatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes: iHOT-33	The secondary outcome is the differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes for the international hip outcome tool (iHOT-33) when compared to a pre-operative baseline. (Scores for the International hip outcome tool range from 0-100 where higher values represent better outcomes)	Change in outcomes 24 months post operatively compared to Pre-operatively
Differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes: NAHS	The secondary outcome is the differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes for the Non-arthritic Hip Score (NAHS) when compared to a pre-operative baseline. (Scores for the Non-arthritic Hip Score range from 0-80 where higher values represent better outcomes).	Change in outcomes 24 months post operatively compared to Pre-operatively
Differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes: EQ5D	The secondary outcome is the differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes for the European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D) when compared to a pre-operative baseline. (Scores for EQ-5D range from 1-5 in 5 categories where lower values represent better outcomes in each category).	Change in outcomes 24 months post operatively compared to Pre-operatively
Differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes: EQ5D-VAS	The secondary outcome is the differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes for the European Quality of Life Questionnaire-Visual Analog Scale (EQ-5D-VAS) when compared to a pre-operative baseline. (Scores for EQ-5D-VAS range from 0-100 where higher values represent better outcomes).	Change in outcomes 24 months post operatively compared to Pre-operatively
Differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes: VR-12	The secondary outcome is the differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes for the Veteran's RAND 12 Item Health Survey (VR-12) when compared to a pre-operative baseline. (Scores for VR-12 range from 0-100 where higher values represent better outcomes).	Change in outcomes 24 months post operatively compared to Pre-operatively
Differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes: HOS-Usual Activities	The secondary outcome is the differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes for the Hip Outcome Score for usual activities (HOS-UA) when compared to a pre-operative baseline. (Scores for HOS range from 0-68 where higher values represent better outcomes).	Change in outcomes 24 months post operatively compared to Pre-operatively
Differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes: HOS-Sport	The secondary outcome is the differences in post-operative patient reported outcomes for the Hip Outcome Score for sports (HOS-S) when compared to a pre-operative baseline. (Scores for HOS range from 0-30 where higher values represent better outcomes).	Change in outcomes 24 months post operatively compared to Pre-operatively

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The number of times conventional imaging and 3D prints are referenced intra-operatively.	Another secondary outcome is the number of times each of the following are referenced intra-operatively: X-Rays, MRI, MRA, CT, CT with 3D reconstruction and 3D model of patient's hip. Additionally the number of X-Ray images taken intra-operatively will be recorded.	During surgery only

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Nova Scotia Health Authority
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ivan Wong, Dr., Nova Scotia Health Authority

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 6, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 7, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 14, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: 3D printing; Femoroacetabular Impingement; Cam lesion; Pre-operative planning
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Joint Diseases; Femoracetabular Impingement
• Other Study ID Numbers: 3DPRINT

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No