3-dimensional printing for anterior cervical surgery: a review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Cervical spine pathologies (degenerative, trauma, tumor) cause neurological compression and anatomical distortion.
• Surgical goals include neural decompression and spinal stabilization via anterior or posterior approaches.
• Advances in medical imaging (CT, MRI) facilitate precise anatomical modeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current applications of three-dimensional printing (3DP) in cervical spinal implants.
• To evaluate literature on 3D printed patient-specific implants (PSIs) and off-the-shelf (3D-OTS) implants.
• To discuss materials and future prospects for 3DP in cervical spine surgery.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of 3D printed implants for cervical spine applications.
• Analysis of studies utilizing 3D printed patient-specific implants (PSIs) and off-the-shelf (3D-OTS) implants.
• Discussion of materials suitable for 3D printed spinal implants.

Main Results:

• 3DP enables the creation of patient-specific implants (PSIs) for complex cervical spine reconstructions with positive outcomes.
• 3D printed off-the-shelf (3D-OTS) implants are also available for cervical applications.
• The complex anatomy of the cervical spine benefits significantly from 3DP due to precise fit and proximity to neurovascular structures.

Conclusions:

• Three-dimensional printing is a valuable tool in cervical spine surgery, particularly for complex cases requiring patient-specific implants.
• Further research is needed to establish efficacy and safety guidelines for 3D printed cervical spinal implants.
• A framework for future studies is proposed to guide the evaluation of 3DP cervical implants.