Customized design and biomechanical property analysis of 3D-printed tantalum intervertebral cages

Intervertebral cages used in clinical applications were often general products with standard specifications, which were challenging to match with the cervical vertebra and prone to cause stress shielding and subsidence.

To design and fabricate customized tantalum (Ta) intervertebral fusion cages that meets the biomechanical requirements of the cervical segment.

The lattice intervertebral cages were customized designed and fabricated by the selective laser melting. The joint and muscle forces of the cervical segment under different movements were analyzed using reverse dynamics method. The stress characteristics of cage, plate, screws and vertebral endplate were analyzed by finite element analysis. The fluid flow behaviors and permeability of three lattice structures were simulated by computational fluid dynamics. Compression tests were executed to investigate the biomechanical properties of the cages.

Compared with the solid cages, the lattice-filled structures significantly reduced the stress of cages and anterior fixation system. In comparison to the octahedroid and quaddiametral lattice-filled cages, the bitriangle lattice-filled cage had a lower stress shielding rate, higher permeability, and superior subsidence resistance ability.

The inverse dynamics simulation combined with finite element analysis is an effective method to investigate the biomechanical properties of the cervical vertebra during movements.