Total talectomy and reconstruction using unrestricted 3D printed prosthesis for pediatric talus hemangioendothelioma

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an ultra-rare vascular sarcoma with an extremely low incidence and prevalence, particularly in children. We report the case of a 9-year-old girl diagnosed with EHE. There are limited reconstruction methods available following total talus resection for vascular endothelioma of the talus, and the use of a 3D-printed talus prosthesis in pediatric cases has not been previously documented.

A 9-year-old girl presented to our unit with swelling, pain, and limited mobility of the ankle for one month without an obvious cause. X-ray and CT imaging revealed osteolytic lesions in the talus, which was identified as a low-grade malignant tumor that had nearly completely invaded the talus and was surrounded by immature bone. The American Foot and Ankle Surgery Association (AOFAS) score was 75/100. We performed a total resection of the talus followed by unrestricted talus replacement. Three months post-operation, the child was able to walk unaided. Ankle function was assessed at 6 and 13 months post-surgery, with the AOFAS score improving from 75 to 91, indicating that her functional needs for daily life were largely met.

Following complete excision of the lesion, the immature bone surrounding the talus was successfully preserved using an unrestricted 3D-printed prosthesis during ankle reconstruction. Our patient demonstrated satisfactory ankle function during the 6-month follow-up. This method is both safe and stable, yielding promising results, particularly for juvenile patients.