Combined computer-aided and 3D printing technology for pre-operative planning in spine fracture surgery

Clinically speaking, most spinal fractures are caused by fall or traffic accidents. If, after a trauma, there are failures or limitations in the movement on the lower limbs, it is suspected that thoracolumbar fracture had occurred. There are different types of spinal fractures: compression fracture burst fracture, seat belt type injury and dislocation fracture. The treatment of spinal fractures remains one of the most challenging tasks for neurosurgeons. Accurate assessment of the severity of the injury and the preoperative planning to reduce injuries during the surgery are very important. The purpose of this study is to improve the feasibility, the accuracy and the effectiveness of the preoperative planning by computer aided and 3D printing techniques. The research mainly uses CT images of inpatients. The DICOM file of the CT images are converted into 3D image files. The 3D image files are then imported into the 3D modeling software to simulate the nailing angle and the depth of the fixed mode using the Boolean algorithm. Afterwards, a 3D FDM printing device is used to print a physical model of the affected area for preoperative planning and discussion. CT scan image of post-operative follow-up examinations can be converted and printed out again for evaluation purposes.