3D printer gives man a new spine

The operation is under way. [Photo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In the first operation in mid May, back sections of Yuan's cancer-riddled vertebrae were removed, and the surgeons attached four titanium rods to what was left of the back part of the spine using titanium screws. These rods were screwed in at the other end, on the front of the spine, still bearing cancerous vertebrae, to make everything stable.

It was deemed too dangerous to remove sections of vertebrae on both sides in the one operation.

In the second operation the front parts of the vertebrae were finally removed and the 3D-printed implant was then put in place.

There had been no reports about the removal of such a large section of spine in one patient anywhere in the world, and the medical team needed to be highly skilled and experienced to deal with any emergency during the two operations, Liu said.

The void left in the spine after the front part of the five vertebrae was removed would have been too large for any existing titanium mesh cage, which is traditionally used in such surgeries. Even if it had existed it would have been straight and ill-suited to Yuan's spine.

Also, with normal titanium mesh cage, doctors usually put crushed bone in the mesh, so that when that bone fuses with the neighboring bones the implant becomes stronger and firm enough to support the spine.

In Yuan's case this method was judged to be too risky because of the size of the implant needed. Any movement of the implant would damage the spinal cord and nerve roots in the spinal channel.

Yuan's implant was customized to cope with the curvature of his spine, and doctors designed special joints to attach it firmly to the titanium rods, which made the two parts of the implant a strong whole that is firm and is very supportive of the spine.