3D tarsal (foot) prosthesis

Large bone defects, advanced osteoarthritis of the ankle and midtarsal joints, or malignant tumors around the foot and ankle represent a list of the major unsolved problems in orthopedic surgery. Current surgical options include extensive arthrodesis, massive bone grafting sometimes with bone transport or amputations associated with impaired mobility and function, high costs, high risks of failure, and high complication rates. In addition, young patients often refuse arthrodesis and ask for function when possible. In recent years, custom-designed implants made with the three-dimensional (3D) printing technology through a subtractive manufacturing process seemed to be a possible option for complex pathologies of the foot and ankle with favorable results. The new applications of additive manufacturing technology with the 3D printing seem to be a better option for severe pathologies of the foot and ankle in terms of precision and complexity, with affordable costs and acceptable time of production. The efficacy of this technology at medium\long term is unreported. In this chapter, the authors present their experience, review the literature regarding the past custom-made not-printed implants and present the advancement of 3D printing technology with custom-designed implants to treat special foot and ankle pathologies.