Clinical application study of E3D-assisted design combined with personalized 3D printed guide system in the treatment of pelvic fractures

Objective This study compares the clinical efficacy of E3D-assisted design combined with a personalized 3D-printed guiding system (experimental group) and traditional fluoroscopic percutaneous screw fixation (control group) for treating pelvic fractures, confirming the high accuracy of screw placement using the personalized 3D guiding system. Methods This study selected 41 patients with pelvic ring injuries treated with minimally invasive percutaneous screw fixation from October 2022 to October 2025. A retrospective analysis was conducted, dividing the patients into two groups: the E3D-assisted design combined with a personalized 3D-printed guiding system group and the traditional C-arm fluoroscopy group. The statistical indicators included operation time, screw accuracy, number of fluoroscopies, intraoperative blood loss, screw types, injury types, fracture reduction quality, and postoperative functional recovery. Results The operation time in the experimental group was shorter (experimental group: 53.05 ± 19.04 min vs. control group: 81.05 ± 24.68 min, p < 0.001), and screw placement was more accurate in the experimental group (tip: experimental group 4.63 ± 2.72 mm vs. control group 7.38 ± 5.92 mm, p = 0.04; pedicle: experimental group 6.75 ± 3.06 mm vs. control group 10.15 ± 1.32 mm, p = 0.03; sacroiliac joint: experimental group 5.79 ± 3.38 mm vs. control group 8.80 ± 5.78 mm, p = 0.03). There was no significant difference in fracture reduction quality between the two groups. Conclusion Minimally invasive treatment of pelvic fractures using E3D-assisted design combined with a personalized 3D printed guiding system has advantages such as shorter surgery time, higher screw placement accuracy, and improved safety. It reduces the learning curve for clinicians, providing significant clinical application value.