3D Printing in Surgical Planning and Intra-Operative Assistance: A Case Report on Cervical Deformity Correction Surgery

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D)-printed anatomical models of the bones play a key role in complex surgical procedures. These subject-specific physical models are valuable in pre-operative planning and may also offer assistance during surgery by improving the visibility of inaccessible anatomical structures, particularly in spine surgery. Starting from medical imaging, virtual 3D bone models are reconstructed, and these can also be used for quantifying original, planned, and achieved bone-to-bone alignments. The purpose of this study is to report on an original exploitation of these techniques on a patient with a severe cervical deformity to undergo corrective and stabilizing surgery. A virtual anatomical model of the cervical spine before surgery was obtained from computer tomography to assess the original deformity and for surgical planning. The corresponding 3D model was printed in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and used to simulate the surgery by performing bone cuts, implanting the screws, and placing and shaping the fixation elements. During surgery, this physical 3D-printed model was used as a reference for each surgical action. The comparisons between pre- and post-operative virtual models confirmed that the planned correction was achieved. Virtual and 3D-printed anatomical models of the cervical spine offer advantages in the planning and execution of personalized complex surgeries, in addition to improving surgical safety.

Keywords

• anatomical modelling
• medical imaging
• 3D printing
• cervical deformity
• biomechanical analysis