Spine surgeons at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix use 3D-printed models of patients' spines to practice procedures prior to surgery, reports WFMZ.
Four things to know:
1. A recent patient was diagnosed with scoliosis at age nine, but after she had her fourth child, the patient's spine collapsed to a 90-degree bend.
2. Barrow spine surgeons used CT and MRI scans to develop 3D models of the patient's spine and practiced where to place the pedicle screws to straighten the spine.
3. After a five-hour surgery, the patient was five inches taller and the bend in the spine was reduced to 13 degrees.
4. The cost of the 3D-printed spines range from $50 to $70. Barrow surgeons also use the spine models for surgeon training and patient education.