3D printing has done quite a bit to make scoliosis treatment less agonizing for even severe cases. 3D printed braces are becoming more commonly used, and they’re worlds better than more traditional braces – they can be customized to perfectly fit the patient’s body, in addition to being made lighter, thinner, and overall more comfortable (and even stylish).
In the most severe scoliosis cases, however, sometimes surgery is the only option. Back surgery is never a minor procedure, and scoliosis surgery is especially tricky, as it requires screws or wires to be placed throughout multiple vertebrae and then connected to stabilize the back. (Okay, now my back is starting to hurt just thinking about it.) Determining the correct placement of the implants requires a lot of skill, and it isn’t always successful, unfortunately.
That’s a scary proposition for anyone, but especially for a ten-year-old girl. I can’t imagine being that age and having already undergone multiple back surgeries, but that was the case for a young girl who came to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, India in September. The girl had a severe curvature of the spine, and had had several unsuccessful surgeries, leaving her spine even more deformed and damaged. The surgical team at Lilavati, led by Dr. Abhay Nene and his assistant, Dr. Kunal Shah, knew that the surgery was going to be especially difficult due to the previous damage, so they turned to healthcare technology company Anatomiz3D for help.
It was still a challenging surgery, requiring removal of the previous implants before inserting the new ones, but thanks to the precise, properly sized 3D printed surgical guides, the surgical team was able to place the screws accurately, and the girl is now recovering well from what may have been the first scoliosis surgery performed in India with 3D printed surgical guides. It certainly won’t be the last, though – the Lilavati team stated that the use of the guides will be extremely helpful in surgeries to correct deformed vertebrae particularly in children. Already, Anatomiz3D has worked on another case with the Lilavati team, which offered feedback on how to improve the snap fit of the guides, and they will continue to work to improve spinal surgeries and, consequently, the lives of many scoliosis sufferers. Discuss in the Scoliosis Surgery forum at 3DPB.com.