• Xiaopeng Wen, Shan Gao, Jinteng Feng, Shuo Li, Rui Gao, and Guangjian Zhang.
• Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, #277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, People's Republic of China.
• J Cardiothorac Surg. 2018 Jan 8; 13 (1): 4.

BackgroundAs 3D printing technology emerge, there is increasing demand for a more customizable implant in the repair of chest-wall bony defects. This article aims to present a custom design and fabrication method for repairing bony defects of the chest wall following tumour resection, which utilizes three-dimensional (3D) printing and rapid-prototyping technology.MethodsA 3D model of the bony defect was generated after acquiring helical CT data. A customized prosthesis was then designed using computer-aided design (CAD) and mirroring technology, and fabricated using titanium-alloy powder. The mechanical properties of the printed prosthesis were investigated using ANSYS software.ResultsThe yield strength of the titanium-alloy prosthesis was 950 ± 14 MPa (mean ± SD), and its ultimate strength was 1005 ± 26 MPa. The 3D finite element analyses revealed that the equivalent stress distribution of each prosthesis was unifrom. The symmetry and reconstruction quality contour of the repaired chest wall was satisfactory. No rejection or infection occurred during the 6-month follow-up period.ConclusionChest-wall reconstruction with a customized titanium-alloy prosthesis is a reliable technique for repairing bony defects.

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