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Review
. 2019 Sep;7(Suppl 5):S164.
doi: 10.21037/atm.2019.08.88.

3D printing in spine surgery

Evan D Sheha  1 , Sapan D Gandhi  1 , Matthew W Colman  1
Affiliations
Review

3D printing in spine surgery

Evan D Sheha et al. Ann Transl Med. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

The applications of three-dimensional (3D) printing, or additive manufacturing, to the field of spine surgery continue to grow in number and scope especially in recent years as improved manufacturing techniques and use of sterilizable materials have allowed for creation of 3D printed implants. While 3D printing in spine surgery was initially limited to use as visual aids in preoperative planning for complex pathology, it has more recently been used to create intraoperative patient-specific screw guides and templates and is increasingly being used in surgical education and training. As patient-specific treatment and personalized medicine gains popularity in medicine, 3D printing provides a similar option for the surgical fields, particularly in the creation of customizable implants. 3D printing is a relatively new field as it pertains to spine surgery, and as such, it lacks long-term data on clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness; however, the apparent benefits and seemingly boundless applications of this growing technology make it an attractive option for the future of spine surgery.

Keywords: Three-dimensional printing (3D printing); biotissues; custom implants; patient-specific guides; preoperative planning; spine surgery; technology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: This manuscript has not been submitted or published elsewhere. Dr. Sheha and Dr. Gandhi have no conflicts of interest to declare. Dr. Colman has the following disclosures: K2M—medical education; Spinal Elements—royalties; Orthofix—royalties; CSRS—committee membership; AO spine—committee membership.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Imaging studies (top) of a 30-year-old male with an undifferentiated high-grade post-radiation sarcoma involving the thoracic spine. A 3D printed model (bottom) was valuable in conceptualizing the full extent of the tumor. The patient ultimately underwent a T6-T8 en bloc vertebrectomy and reconstruction with an expandable interbody cage. 3D, three-dimensional.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Computer rendering of an osteotomy guide for use in the resection of an intraosseous high-grade iliac chondrosarcoma involving the sacroiliac joint.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Postoperative X-ray images of a patient who underwent an L4-5 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and posterior spinal decompression and fusion using a mass-produced 3D printed cage (Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI, USA). 3D, three-dimensional.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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