Patient-specific implants and spinal alignment outcomes

Abstract

Background: Patient specific (PS) technology has become popular in the field of spine surgery, as it gives surgeons control over the manufacturing of implants based on a patient's anatomy. Patient specific surgical guides, preoperative planning software, and patient specific implants – such as rods and cages, have demonstrated promising results in the literature for helping surgeons achieve spinal alignment goals. Methods: A review of the literature regarding PS technology in spine surgery for the correction of spinal deformity was performed and is compiled here. Results: A description of the PS tools currently used for deformity correction and treatment of degenerative spine pathology with example cases are included in this manuscript. Conclusions: The use of PS technology in spine surgery is an important development in the field that should continue to be studied.

Keywords

• Patient specific
• Spine deformity
• Scoliosis
• Patient-specific rods
• Patient-specific cages
• Patient specific planning