Shanghai Successfully Completed A 15 Cm Long 3D Printed Titanium Vertebral Implant Surgery

Recently, bone tumor surgery Changzheng Hospital of Second Military Medical University (Cancer Center Changzheng spine) Professor Xiao Jianru research team designed the world's first 3D printed titanium alloy 6 vertebrae plate integrated prosthesis, used for reconstruction of the defect area of spinal chordoma after long segmental huge success, refresh the world's longest cervical vertebra tumor resection and reconstruction of the record.

A huge tumor around the cervical and thoracic segment 6

From Hunan, 40 year old Ms. Zhou suffering from cervical chordoma for 7 years, which has experienced two times of recurrence after surgery, the recent unfortunate recurrence. With neck tumor increasing, severe compression of the trachea and esophagus, Ms. Zhou breathing and eating has become a problem, even holding the chopsticks and other daily action becomes more and more difficult. This is an aggressive malignant tumor, high recurrence rate, good hair in the occipital cervical and sacrum. A huge tumor wrapped by lady for up to 6 weeks of cervical vertebra, cervical vertebra and along the lateral "climb" into multiple segments, small transverse joints, spinal canal and spinal canal adjacent blood vessels, carotid artery, spinal cord, esophagus, trachea serious extrusion...... It is more difficult, the existing cervical titanium mesh and titanium plate internal fixation devices cannot meet the reconstruction after tumor resection of long segment vertebral defect.




Years of pain and suffering to Ms. Zhou many times to end my life, old old parents thought, a daughter cry piteously for food during which she took ill, traveled to the large and small hospitals, are due to the complexity of the disease, surgery is difficult. Finally, she attracted experts at the recommendation of the director Xiao Jianru came to Shanghai to find a bone tumor surgery, Changzheng hospital.

The NMR magnetic inspection showed that: Ms. Zhou suffered from cervical chordoma has eroded section 3-7 and first thoracic section, more serious is that large tumors on both sides of the front of the vertebral artery and common carotid artery, internal and external carotid artery and internal jugular vein tightly wrapped. In addition, due to the initial surgery of unilateral vertebral artery ligation has been so wrapped around the tumor block, on the other side of the dominant vertebral artery for blood supply to the brain is critical, reoperation once the damage will lead to a serious shortage of life-threatening blood brain stem. For the difficult cases of this rare, plus cervical anatomy in thoracolumbar spine is more complex, the difficulty of operation as can be imagined. Even if the smooth resection of giant tumor, what 6 segment vertebral defect with the support of how to protect the important structure and function of spinal cord, nerve root and vertebral artery dominance?

15 cm cervical implants hold up the backbone"

In the face of difficulties before some future, director Xiao Jianru team several times in conjunction with the relevant expert system on the condition of the patient, determined by preoperative 3D precision 1:1 print cervical tumor model, the scope and boundary of accurate locking of huge chordoma. But because the tumor is large, involving a wide range of vertebrae, existing internal fixation devices cannot meet the reconstruction after resection of long segmental bone defect. The Xiao Jianru team carefully assess the disease condition and full communication with patients and their families after Frank said: "we should work together for the patient to accept the challenge, one last chance."

Xiao Jianru combined with years of clinical and medical workers with experience, creatively put forward the integrated system of 3D printing plate". "We use a computer 3D three-dimensional printing technology, on the basis of patients with CT and MRI imaging data, designs and patients with 6 vertebrae morphology and length of similar vertebral prosthesis, and repeatedly through the test simulation of dynamic mechanics, the final print out individual" 3D-6 vertebral plate integrated system "- the world's first 3D print 6 titanium alloy vertebral plate integrated prosthetic implants, will be completed up to 15 cm long span support in Zhou cervicothoracic, to replace the 6 vertebrae was completely removed.