Application of 3D printing in surgical approach choice for treatment of cervical vertebra dumbbell tumor / 局解手术学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the application of 3D printing technology in surgical approach choice for cervical vertebra dumbbell tumor.Methods Retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 17 patients with cervical vertebra dumbbell tumor who were admitted into our hospital from August 2012 and February 2017 and recieved 3D model printing.Three director surgeons chosen surgical approach for each pa-tient with or without 3D printing models.The surgical approach,combined with 3D printing and chosen by most surgeons,was selected as final surgical approach for patients.All the patients were evaluated by JOA score and Frankel grade before and after operation.Results The tumor of patients who selected surgical approach with 3D printing was completely resected.Without 3D printing models in preoperation,3 surgeons selected the same surgical approach for 8 patients,2 surgeons selected the same surgical approach for 9 patients.Compared with those who se-lected surgical approach with 3D printing models in preoperation,the 3 surgeons changed surgical approach in a total of 13 times.The surgical approach of 5 patients were changed,including 2 cases changed from posterior approach to lateral approach,2 cases changed from lateral ap-proach to posterior approach,and 1 case changed from lateral approach to anterior approach.Eventually,11 cases underwent posterior ap-proach,1 case underwent anterior approach,3 cases underwent lateral approach and 2 cases underwent far lateral approach.Conclusion Ap-plied of 3D printing in treatment of cervical vertebra dumbbell tumor can rebuild and print local anatomy by digitizing method.It can excel-lently show the tumor form,relationship of tumor and vertebrae,tumor and foramen intervertebrale,tumor and vessel.3D printing technology could help surgeon precisely and directly understand the operation area and select advanced surgical approach to reduce surgical risk and in -crease the resection rate of tumor.And it has an excellent display effect especially for complex tumors and abnormal blood vessels.