3D-printed guiding apparatus for minimally invasive pedicle screw insertion | APOA

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    • 3D-printed guiding apparatus for minimally invasive pedicle screw insertion

      Hsuan-Fu Chen, Michael Jian-Wen Chen, Chih-Chung Hu, Natalie Yi-Ju Ho, Tsung-Ting Tsai, Tsai-Sheng Fu

      Abstract

      Background: Pedicle screws have been used and modified in spinal surgeries for several decades. Several methods of pedicle screws implantation and assisted tools have been invented and modified. For minimally invasive pedicle screws insertion, we introduce a novel 3D-printed guiding apparatus. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present the design, demonstrate the protocol, and discuss the advantages of the novel guiding apparatus. Methods: First, the design process of 3D-printed guiding apparatus was presented. Then, the spinal model from Sawbones was used to demonstrate the procedure of pedicle screw insertion using this surgical template. Results: A prototype of 3D-printed guiding apparatus was created from computed tomography (CT) scans of the spinal model. The testing procedure showed that pedicle screw insertion could be performed without pedicle violation. Conclusion: The novel 3D-printed guiding apparatus can be easily customized by 3D-printer from CT scans. It can also reduce radiation exposure, decrease skin damage, and minimize soft tissue disruption. However, in the future, further research including an experimental testing with a larger sample size is needed to verify the preliminary outcome and assumption, and additional clinical studies are required to determine the safety, efficacy of the device in humans. In the end, the newly designed apparatus can be an alternative to pedicle screw placement.

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