Patient-specific, 3D-printed implants are safe and effective for atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.
The study involved three female patients with unilateral atlantoaxial osteoarthritis undergoing posterior transarticular atlantoaxial fixation procedures using Anatomics' 3D-printed implants.
Here are four things to know:
1. The researchers used Anatomics' AnatomicsC3D to design patient-specific titanium posterior atlantoaxial fixation implants using transarticular and posterior C1 arch screws.
2. The AnatomicsC3D software allowed the surgeon to specify screw trajectories, screw sizes and simulate corrected atlantoaxial alignment, which enabled patient-specific stereotactic drill guides and titanium implants to be manufactured using 3D-printing.
3. There was no observed screw malposition and no neural or vascular injuries in the three patients.
4. Additionally, the patients experienced less than 50 mL of blood loss and a length of stay between four and six days.
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