A combination of digital design and three-dimensional printing to assist treatment of thoracolumbar compression fractures using percutaneous kyphoplasty

Objective

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of the preoperative digital design combined with three-dimensional (3D) printing models to assist percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) treatment for thoracolumbar compression fractures.

Methods

From January 2018 to August 2020, we obtained data of 99 patients diagnosed thoracolumbar compression fractures. These patients were divided into control group (n = 50) underwent traditional PKP surgery, and observation group (n = 49) underwent preoperative digital design combined with 3D printing model assisted PKP treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated with five parameters, including operation time, number of intraoperative radiographs, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Cobb Angle change, and high compression rate of injured vertebrae.

Results

There were statistically significant differences of operation time and number of intraoperative radiographs between the two groups (P < 0.05). For VAS score, Cobb Angle change and vertebral height compression rate, all of these three parameters were significantly improved when the patients accepted surgery treatment in two groups (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between control group and observation group for these three parameters either before or after surgery (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Through the design of preoperative surgical guide plate and the application of 3D printing model to guide the operation, the precise design of preoperative surgical puncture site and puncture Angle of the injured vertebra was realized, the number of intraoperative radiographs was reduced, the operation time was shortened and the operation efficiency was improved.