Design of patient-specific cutting guides for trochleoplasty

Trochlear dysplasia is an anatomic anomaly of the knee that is characterized by an abnormal geometry of the trochlea. The normal shape of the trochlea is concave, but when the trochlea is flat, the patient may experience knee pain, instability and a higher risk of patellar dislocations. One of the treatment options for severe trochlear dysplasia is trochleoplasty, where the distal femur is cut and reshaped to create more of a normal groove. However, this procedure depends mainly on the surgeon’s technique and appreciation of the reshape needed, which is different for each patient. Indeed, 4 main types of trochlear dysplasia can be encountered ranging from flat to convex trochlea. In this project, the students will work in close collaboration with a surgeon at CHUV to develop patient-specific cutting guides for trochleoplasty. 3D bone templates from patients MRI/CT scans will be reconstructed. Cutting guides including cutting slots will be designed for a trochleoplasty adapted to the patient’s anatomy. These guides will be positioned very precisely on the patient’s articular surfaces thanks to the bony projections, which are different for each patient. 3D templates of the patent’s knee as well as the patient-specific cutting guides will be manufactured by 3D printing.