Use of 3D-printed polycaprolactone + hyaluronic acid-based scaffold in orthopedic practice: Report of two cases

3D-printed (3DP) polycaprolactone (PCL)-based scaffolds have gained popularity in the past decade. Despite the wide utility of autografts for bone regeneration in orthopedics practice, 3DP PCL scaffolds may replace this general application. Here we present a 42-year-old patient who had glenohumeral arthritis due to rheumatoid arthritis accompanied by a Walch 3 glenoid defect, and a 19-year-old patient with neglected Galeazzi fracture-dislocation accompanied by a radius non-union. In both patients, a 3DP PCL + hyaluronic acid-based scaffold was used for bone regeneration purposes. The preliminary results showed that the 3DP PCL + hyaluronic acid scaffold provided bone regeneration and may be a promising alternative to autografting for bone regeneration in orthopedic practice. Plain language summary A 3D-printed (3DP) polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold is a material that can be used instead of bone grafts to support new bone formation. This is a report of two patients who underwent new bone formation with the use of a 3DP PCL + hyaluronic acid scaffold. We found that the 3DP PCL + hyaluronic acid scaffold provided a suitable environment for bone formation in a glenoid bone defect undergoing reverse total shoulder arthroplasty and in radius non-union. These findings suggest that the 3DP PCL + hyaluronic acid scaffold may be an alternative to autografts in orthopedic practice. Tweetable abstract 3DP PCL + hyaluronic acid scaffold provided good outcomes in two patients requiring bone regeneration, and may be an alternative to autografts in orthopedic practice.