About This Blog:
- 3D printing, which is also referred to as additive manufacturing, uses a unique computer system and various materials to create three-dimensional objects.
- This revolutionary technology was developed in the early 1980s and has since matured and helped bring sustainable development to various industries, including medicine.
- In this blog, Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine explains how 3D printing has played a role in spine surgery.
3D printing is a unique technology that has enhanced several industries across the globe. Today, 3D printers are available for industrial and consumer use, making it a highly sought after product for individuals and companies wanting to prototype designs or create objects that provide a much-needed service. While the technology is still relatively new, 3D printing has contributed to various medical industries since its inception, including spine surgery.
Recently, the first 3D-printed vertebrae were implanted in a patient suffering from a cancer known as chordoma. According to Neurosurgeon at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney Dr. Ralph Mobbs, the tumor was in a hard-to-reach location at the top of the neck in the spine. The tumor occupied two vertebrae that helped flex and rotate the head. Because of this, few attempts were made to remove or treat this type of tumor because of the risk involved. (http://mashable.com/2016/02/25/3d-printed-vertebrae-spine/#lsZq8GMELkqs)
The surgery would have required removing the tumor and affected vertebrae from the spine and using a bone from a different part of the body to replace it. This would have been difficult because the bone may not have fit into the space properly. That’s when the doctor turned to 3D printing. In the end, a 3D implant was created and placed into the empty space and the patient made a full recovery.
Although this story did have a happy ending, there is still much that needs to be studied about the effects 3D printed materials have in the body. The doctor from the above-mentioned case noted that materials like titanium are not ideal for recreating bones and joints, but that ideally, a 3D printed device could act as a scaffold for harvested stem cells from the patient’s body.
Regardless, 3D printing is inarguably making major strides in the spine world. According to Health Imaging (http://www.healthimaging.com/topics/diagnostic-imaging/fda-approves-eos-imaging-online-3d-spine-surgery-planning-solution), a Pars-based medical imaging company called EOS just received FDA approval for its spineEOS software that will help spine surgery planning. While this 3D printing per say, the software does use 3D properties to help surgeons create treatment strategies for spinal surgery.
Ultimately, the growth and expansion of 3D printing in spine surgery is expected to continue in the coming years, and as a spine surgeon, I cannot wait to see what this technology brings to my field.
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.