Immediate performance effects of 3D-printed guide plate-assisted screw placement training in lumbar spine models: a randomized educational study

To evaluate the immediate performance outcomes and teaching satisfaction of 3D-printed guide plate-assisted screw placement training using lumbar spine models.

From June to December 2022, 40 postgraduate orthopedic students from the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (traditional training combined with 3D-printed guide plates) or a control group (traditional 3D model training). Screw placement performance (< u> with guide plate assistance in the experimental group ), theoretical and operational scores, and teaching evaluation outcomes were compared between the two groups.

The experimental group demonstrated significantly improved immediate screw placement performance compared with the control group, including shorter placement time, fewer errors, higher accuracy scores, and a greater success rate (all P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in theoretical scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, the experimental group achieved significantly higher operational scores and better teaching evaluation outcomes than the control group (both P < 0.05).

3D-printed guide plate-assisted training significantly improves immediate screw placement performance and is positively received by students. However, whether this translates to independent free-hand skill acquisition requires further investigation. This approach shows promise as a supplementary teaching tool for enhancing procedural understanding and student engagement in spine surgery education.