3D design and prototyping in surgical treatment of congenital spine deformities in children: the first experience

The experience of using the method of 3D design and prototyping is examplified in a clinical case of surgical treatment of a six-year-old patient with kyphoscoliotic deformity of the spine due to congenital malformation of the L1 vertebra. At the stage of diagnostics and preoperative preparation, a created model of the deformed spine was used in the form of a breadboard variant made according to the data of spiral X-ray CT on a 3D printer from a plastic polymer material. The use of the created model of the deformed spine made it possible to additionally visualize and touch the pathological object in full size, to really assess the anatomical features and parameters of the interested vertebral segments and the altered spinal canal, which provided significant constructive assistance in planning surgical intervention and its immediate technical implementation.