Addressing the consequences of scaphoid fractures remained an intractable issue in the field of hand surgery, especially nonunion and necrosis of bone fragments. For individuals with scaphoid nonunion accompanied by necrosis with unsuccessful prior interventions, the use of a personalized three-dimensional (3D) printed titanium scaphoid prosthesis proved to be a feasible remedy. Recent treatments in Vietnam have shown certain limitations. We were the trailblazers in conducting complete scaphoid replacement using an in-hospital 3D-printed titanium implant in the country. Herein, we presented a 34-year-old male patient who developed scaphoid nonunion with necrosis after an injury three years ago. A total scaphoid replacement was performed using a titanium custom-made 3D-printed implant designed in 2 weeks. The 3D-printed titanium scaphoid was designed based on a Computed Tomography Scan (CT scan) of the uninjured hand. This implant was made of titanium alloy employing a selective laser melting (SLM) additive manufacturing process. The patient’s progress was evaluated using the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation Scale (PRWE), with scores indicating substantial improvement: 65/100 before surgery, 50/100 at the 1-month follow-up, and 36/100 at the 3-month follow-up. The radiographic outcome also showed positive signs. The in-hospital 3D-printed laboratory developed optimization procedures for the patient, allowing doctors to be directly involved in the design process.

Cao Thanh Thai is an Orthopedic Residency Doctor from VinUniversity, Vietnam. He is an intern at Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center in Vinmec Times City International Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. He has experience in working at in-hospital 3D printed laboratory. He has previously worked as a research assistant for numerous studies on 3D technology and musculoskeletal disease.